To the editors:
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We too are amazed at the statement that there is community opposition to the proposal to redevelop that site, because there is no such significant opposition. While it is true that political opponents of Osterman are falsely telling people who live East of Broadway that the redevelopment aspect of that site that calls for a CTA bus turnabout or cul-de-sac literally means a concrete wall blocking the sidewalk of Berwyn so as to “wall out” East-of-Broadway people, few people actually believe such racial demagoguery. It is also true that someone said at a number of said community planning meetings that State of Illinois tax dollars should not be spent in Edgewater because Edgewater doesn’t need it, yet, as can be predicted, that argument, aside from it being factually untrue (no State money is spent), carried no weight with Edgewater residents.
Mr. Bartell goes on to say that Alderman Osterman’s Ward and City Hall offices were not taking calls after the death of Mayor Washington until after the election of Eugene Sawyer as the new Mayor. He does not say that he personally tried to call unsuccessfully. As Mr. Bartell is new to the Ward, he would not know that our freshman Alderman is not given enough staff to cover a City Hall office when the City Council is not in session. However, the City Council staff answers calls in the absence of Aldermanic staff for all Aldermen during all working hours. As to the Ward Office, we personally know that it was open and taking calls for virtually the entire period of time. Indeed there were hundreds of calls voicing opinions of all kinds on the Mayoral selection, as would be expected in a Ward as politically active and open as the 48th. We in fact know that Osterman personally talked to scores of citizens on all sides of the Mayoral succession during those hectic days.
48th Ward Democratic politics is characterized by hard and open struggles on issues, open to all opinions. But, if we are going to continue to have meaningful debates, please stick to the facts.
Attorney at Law
