Former Trustee Creates a Stir at Village Board Meeting

Monday night’s Village Board meeting included about 20 minutes of frustration felt by elected officials and audience members, as well as by the source of their emotion herself — former trustee Lisa Stone.

Stone got off to a rocky start when she didn’t step up to the podium when Village President Jeff Braiman invited residents to speak. When no one responded, he moved on to the next agenda item; moments later, Stone came forth to speak and insisted on making her remarks.

Following a brief argument with Stone, the board continued on with its agenda. Minutes later Stone, who waited near the podium, was invited to speak. (See video at right.)

Throughout her comments, which touched on her , the resignation of Buffalo Grove’s former village manager, discrepancies in the size of the , a disparity in the amount of water used from one of the village’s wells, the proximity of a bike path to the landfill, water contamination in Crestwood, and the use of Buffalo Grove's ZIP code by the Pekara well system in unincorporated Lake County, Braiman repeatedly asked her to get to the point.

Stone said she has spent about 16 hours each day for the past two years researching local water issues. Alongside a Lincolnshire resident, she has formed the Lake County Vernon Township Coalition for Safe Drinking Water, she said.

“We believe there has been a gross violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act for many, many, many years,” she said.

“You may actually say, ‘Citizen Stone, tell us more,’” she told Braiman.

While that's not exactly how it played out Monday night, she did receive additional time to address the board.

When the 10 minutes allotted for resident comments were up, Braiman granted her an additional two minutes. After she had spoken for a total of 15 minutes, he gave her 20 seconds to wrap up, followed by another 30 seconds. 

“President Braiman, for your soul’s sake, let me finish,” Stone responded at one point. She later asked him to “embrace sometimes the health issues.”

“I hope I’m reaching someone here,” she said.

Some board members closed their eyes as Stone talked, while others appeared to hide smiles. When Braiman cut Stone off after about 20 minutes, calling for a five-minute break in the meeting, some audience members broke into applause. During the break, while onlookers wondered aloud what she was trying to accomplish, Stone left the meeting room.

She said later that police told her not to return to the meeting after the recess.

Asked Tuesday what she hoped to convey, Stone emailed the following to Buffalo Grove Patch:

The IEPA admitted that whether the Aptakisic Creek is a "losing" and/or recharging stream has never been studied, which means that is it unknown whether the Aptakisic Creek is recharging the water supply for many groundwater wells in the area, such as the Pekara community wells and other community, private, and/or any other wells supplying drinking water in the areas in very close proximity to major pollution sources or facilities including the Land & Lakes Landfill, the Hoffelder Landfill, the Lake County Public Works treating domestic and industrial wastewater for approximately 10 communities, which then discharges effluent directly into the recently listed impaired 303(d) Aptakisic Creek. The US EPA ECHO ICP Water Quality Report for the industrial wastewater facility above, states that the facility/outfall is NOT near a drinking water intake, though the Pekara wells actually share the same unusual address as the Industrial Wastewater Facility, 800 Krause Drive, BG 60089. There appears to be some confusion as the wells are actually extremely close to the 001 STP outfall listed on the NPDES Permit.

Further, the Aptakisic Creek appears to have been "overlooked" for decades and in some cases appears unseen or even mislabeled on various maps of Lake County Vernon Township as well as other vitally critical areas such as permits required to list nearest body of water etc. ... though the Aptakisic wasn't listed.

This must be studied given the information which has come to the attention of the Lake County Vernon Township Coalition for Safe Drinking Water. For critical reasons of safety, health and welfare and to insure safe drinking water, an inalienable right, as well as the protection of the Aptakisic Creek itself, the many questions, irregularities and misrepresentation raised by the many documents that have come to light, demand answers from the officials entrusted to protect all of us.