November 4,  2006

Letter from Les Golden

Geoff Baker did the respectable, honorable thing.  Finding he lacked the time to fulfill his commitment to the Village Board, he could have stayed on, missed meetings, and continued to collect his salary.  He chose to take the honorable route.  This distinguishes him, and the New Leadership Coalition that slated him, from the Village Managers' Association.  Not too many years ago a VMA-slated trustee by the name of Percy Slaughter was notorious for missing the vast majority
of meetings.  Other VMA-elected trustees missed numerous meetings.  Did they resign?  No.  

We also recall the saga of Kathy Lamar who was the only sitting president of any board in the history of Oak Park to resign her office
in mid-term.  Her resignation resulted, as did Mr. Baker's, from family circumstances.  It occurred, however, at the very moment her leadership was most needed, in the middle of a tumultuous referendum, the one to fund the two middle schools.  Yet, from from chastising her, the Wednesday Journal deified her.

When Baker and the other NLC candidates ran for office, their attendance at previous board meetings did not prepare them for the inordinately long sessions held by the current village president.  His resigning was the unfortunate result.  As with other areas of governance, the NLC and its trustees have brought integrity to the village board when attendance is the issue.  This kind of integrity, unknown in the likes of some VMA candidates and Kathy Lamar, evidently shocked the Wednesday Journal to such an extent that it reacted in the only way it knows, by lashing out viciously and irresponsibly.


Les Golden
Oak Park