Perhaps I should have known better than to think that a quick trip to Village Hall would be simple, and per chance pleasant !
I guess that during my campaign for Village Trustee, I heard too often from my incumbent opponents Michael Phinney and Ellen Eckman, along with Chris Swartz the Village Manager, on just how much more organized and friendly Shorewood’s Village Administration was becoming --- sometimes when you hear something often enough, you tend to believe it.
Although the Village Board has decided to cut back on how much information is published for dissemination to the public, in the May 10, 2007 edition of the North Shore Herald was a notice about a proposed zoning change for some properties across the street from mine on Oakland. The notice said in part “Materials filed by the applicant are available in the office of the Village Clerk and are open for inspection during Village office hours.”
Ok, simple enough, this past Friday I thought I would make a quick trip to the Clerk’s Office at Village Hall, and get a look at the materials. Wrong.
The Village Clerk’s Office had no knowledge of the materials and sent me to the Inspection and Zoning Office. The Inspection Department did not know where the materials where and started making phone calls to find them.
Although it was only around 2:00 in the afternoon, the Inspection Dept told me that someone would have to call me on Monday, to let me know how to view the materials.
Obviously, a quick trip to view some public materials was now getting quite complicated. I said that I really would like to see them without having to make another trip to Village Hall, and I mentioned that the Public Notice said they would be available during office hours.
Some more phone calls from the Inspection Department, and off I was sent to the Village Manager’s Office on the third floor, where I was told they could help me.
Finally I had found someone who actually had knowledge of the materials. The Planning Assistant was there and had a folder, in which were the materials referred to in the Notice.
Ironically, I was told that the Inspection Department had the same copies, and I should have been able to review them there.
To recap my “quick trip to Village Hall”
Go to Village Clerk’s Office, as instructed by Published Notice, to view Materials.
Clerk’s Office has no idea what Materials are.
Clerk’s Office sends me to Inspection Department.
Inspection Department has no idea what Materials are.
Inspection Department makes phone calls and says will get back to me in 3 days.
Question why Materials cannot be viewed as the Publication indicated.
More phone calls made by Inspection Department.
Inspection Department finds someone who has knowledge of Materials.
Sent to Village Manager’s Office, where Planning Assistant has copy of Materials.
Told that Inspection Department also had copy.
It took about 3 minutes to review the Materials --- after about 20 minutes of the Shorewood Shuffle.
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