It's that time of year when the people you elect to take care of business, tell you how they're going to do just that, then bill you. Twice.

We’re smart. We’re affluent. We’re just not hip. Ouch. How the Downtown Master Plan intends to fix that.

If we build it, they will come. With their kids and their credit cards. So says the DMP Steering Committee after 12 months of resident input, market research and $147,920 in consulting fees.  

The biggest economic opportunity the Village has ever seen or a structure that will suck the living daylights out of downtown?

It’s better, but is it good to go? On Tuesday, September 20th, the Village Council says it's time to speak up or forever hold your peace. 

On July 23, Winnetka was pummeled. 4.97” of rain in a little less than 6 hours. Standing water, flooded basements, exhausted plumbers, reclamation companies making their numbers for the year, out-of-stocks at Lowes, Home Depot and Best Buy, and tons of curb trash launched two Village Council meetings [Aug.2nd & 12th] and a boatload of letters, phone calls and personal appearances.  

On May 10th, The Village Council held a Study Session on Stormwater. Steve Saunders presented the how-we-got-here’s and where-we-are’s. Teeing it up for Strand’s Last Stand, June 7th, Village Council Chambers, when they will review work-to-date, explain their Vision, ID open issues and “engagement opportunities,” and propose next steps.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2015, after years of discussion, the Village Council officially committed to a Downtown Master Plan. Hired Teska & Associates.

For the past year, One Winnetka has been working its way through the system. The goal was preliminary approval.

Tuesday, April 12th, after months of analysis, four open houses, a gazillion comment cards, Strand Associates unveiled its long-awaited Preliminary Vision – the third phase in its “watershed based strategy” for flood relief in Western and Southwestern Winnetka. The purpose: Gain further community input. Next: Revise, redraft, and report to Village Council.