The Lake Forest Podcast

Pete and Skoo clear up mistakes (remember we aren't Caucus or City Government Experts) from Friday's show as well as offer up suggestions on how The Executive Caucus Committee can help not have the perception of a friends club or groupthink.  

Before the Friday show Pete asked the President of the Caucus Kim Pfahl how The Executive Committee was picked, The answer was. 1) "You raise your hand saying you have an interest" 2) "You go through mentorship for a year" 3) "It's really up to the President and Vice President to decide because it is really their executive committee they want to have and how they want to do it" The answer Pete was given led him to that conclusion of Group Think and Friends Club 

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS VOTED ON Pete got that wrong. Pete should have said that the Members who are put on the Ballot for Executive Committee are not vetted or voted on by the Caucus Committee.

The Executive Caucus Committee Candidate's merits were never discussed before the Spring Meeting nor were their qualifications discussed or voted on to be placed on the ballot. Pete never heard anything in his Ward meetings regarding Mentorships, nor was asked if he was interested.

Part of the confusion stems from the bylaws not being updated on the Lake Forest Caucus website. (It's a dead page)  Pete was reading the 2016 Bylaws.  Here is a clip someone sent us from the updated bylaws in 2020 

Section 4.03 Election. Candidates for Officer positions shall be recommended annually for office by the current Executive Committee from among the members in good standing of the Caucus Committee and shall be presented for election at the Spring Meeting.

Does this appear to let the Influence of the Executive Board continue in perpetuity unless the officers are challenged in the one-hour Spring meeting? This gives the perception of a closed vote to be on the Ballot.

It's a process problem.

Tim Newman former Alderman of Ward 2 Lake Forest and former Caucus Committee President stopped by to Chat with Skoo Walker and Pete Jansons. 

Quotes:

Tim - "Anybody of consideration can always get caught up in Group Think, perhaps the last School Board election may have been an example of that"

Pete - "How can you not have group think if there is not a system in place for the Caucus Executive Committee? 1) The vice president isn't voted on by the committee 2) THe Vice president is handed the Presidency 3) The Caucus Committee President picks who he/she wants on the Executive committee to surround themselves with.

Tim - "The City of Lake Forest is managing its infrastructure with only 30% of the budget, the rest is for Personnel Costs. 

Tim - "for the largest % of the population, they are oblivious to the local government till something affects them"

Topics:

Drainage/Golf Course/Pond project on Deerpath

Contested elections

Groupthink

Comments on the show? Ideas for a topic [email protected]

Paula Turelli and Marly Subido from the Mothers Trust Foundation stop by to chat with Skoo Walker and Pete Jansons.

Big Kudos to Founder Barabara Monser for setting up such a wonderful foundation that helps Lake County Kids.  Just today 63 kids were impacted by grants from the Mothers Trust Foundation.

Heads up starting Thursday, April 29 thru June 19 lookout at Lake Forest Station for their pop-up shop with some cool things to buy for Mom's Dads and Grads where proceeds help the kids. Also, look out for their Cook a Long with Chef John from Everett Farms

Topics:

"Buddy Bash"

Coat Drive in November

266 agency's that are helped

4000 kids helped

Ideas for a guest or topic? [email protected]

Lake Forest High School Senior Pierce G stops by to tell his heartbreaking tale on how he was knocked out of the Paranoia Game.

What's paranoia? listen and find out!

Quotes/Tips:

"Sleep with a nerf gun by your side"

"Not allowed to use a shield"

"Can't go on vacation"

"You gotta be a certain type of Type A to wrangle 300 kids and get them going"

Got an idea for a guest or topic? [email protected]

Catherine Lemmer Executive Director Lake Forest Library joined Skoo Walker, Lori Fitzgerald, and Pete Jansons to talk about....The Library

Quotes:

"It's not a sound bite project"

"The jewels of the proposed project is to get the children out of the basement"

"How much work can you do before you trigger the ADA grandfathering"

"We've known since 2012 that we have an ADA compliance issue"

"This is still a physical item driven community"

"The demand is going up for interactive places"

"The architects will give you two things 1) The key code to the building 2) Capital Improvement Plan

"The Dome has leaked since day 1 in 1931"

"You pay a premium by just staying on this lot"

Topics:

3% Tax Levy

Project expansion

The Dome Story

Realm study (why books quarantined)

Have an idea for a guest/topic? [email protected]

Philippe Melin joined Skoo Walker, Lori Fitzgerald, and Pete Jansons to discuss the #115 School Board Campaign and to perform an autopsy without blame of everyone involved.

Ideas for a topic or guest? [email protected]

****Full disclosure Pete Jansons is on the Caucus Volunteer Committee. I am an advocate of the Caucus and am trying to educate the community so we have more people volunteering to pitch in. I am not a Caucus or City Government expert. I do my best to bring on experts to educate all of us. Heads up we will make mistakes on the show and we will not edit our guest's comments. We will post corrections in chat and welcome people to come on the show to correct us.  Pete screwed up on the Joanna Marshall show when he said it’s a ward task to interview for school board. It’s a sub-committee of all the wards who do the interviewing. It’s a fine line doing this show offering suggestions for improvement and coming across anti-Caucus. IF we didn’t have the caucus to do the interviewing then we would d have board seats going to the people with the most money. We recently had Lori Fitzgerald and Joanna Marshall apply for Caucus thank you!

Our good friend Lynne Kennedy from The Gilded Aisle stopped by to clue us in on what the game Paranoia is. She has a senior at the High School that plays it, as well as Skoo. Lynne also has a story to share on how Adults are  bullying kids on Facebook

Notes:

Have an idea for topic or guest? Did we get it wrong again? [email protected]

Joanna Marshall stopped by to chat with Skoo Walker, Pete Jansons, and new Co-Host Lori Fitzgerald. She talked about her experience running on the contested School Board Slate for District 115

Quotes:

" I will apply for the Caucus next year for Ward 3"

"I'm not anti-Caucus, we are all part of the Caucus"

"who is going to want to volunteer if they have to go through a smear campaign"

Notes:

I'm sure we got something wrong on this show. Please correct us [email protected]

Bill Terranova General Manager of the New Oaken Bistro and Bar stops by to have a Beer with Skoo Walker and Pete Jansons. Bill is also the Food and Beverage GM at the Forrester Hotel by Hyatt Place in Lake Forest.  They opened up on April 7 and have been SLAMMED!

Quotes:

"Was built on the founding principal of Lake Forest where science and nature come together"

"Filling up fast for Mothers Day Brunch"

"Everyone can find something here"

Notes:

Bill said to bring on GM Marlena Karwoski of the Forrester Hotel to get the 411 on the Hotel here is the Trib Article on the opening

Skoo Walker and Pete Jansons are joined by Lori Fitzgerald from the Lets Do Better School Board Slate 

We chat about the campaign, cancel culture and the fun of small town politcs

Note: No Lawn Signs were harmed in the making of this episode

Ideas for a guest or topic? Did we get something wrong? [email protected]