In the middle of a prolonged dispute between the Elmwood Park Public Library and the Elmwood Park Advocate, President Chris Pesko has proposed a meeting room policy change that will ratify the library’s censorship and retaliation.
Kevin everyone knows what the library is doing. People who have lived here for generations know how this and most local governments work in IL. The advocate has chosen to push on local government. That's great you feel your wronged and should push back but do not think it will will be the same as pushing back against say Chicago or the federal government. These are the consequences of that push back. This is a small town and now the a advocate is even know to those offline because people talk.
Hopefully you get some turn out and maybe you can make a change tonight but I think sadly you have already turned a corner which takes you down a oneway street.
If you going to make a go here in EP your going to have to adapt to EP and learn to find a middle ground between your new way of thinking and the way many multigenerational family's think here. The old family's want no drama and to be left alone.
We wish to be left alone. The residents involved in this newsletter only asked for one thing: to be able to use the meeting rooms like every resident had used the rooms since at least 2023. We simply have demanded that our rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press be respected by the library. We will not seek a "middle ground." There is no compromise when a library is undermining residents' rights. —Kevin Gosztola
Sorry but Kevin you have chosen tactics that in other nieboorhoods would get traction but this is not those other nieboorhoods.
I do not mind open discussion. But I do mind folks trying to change a the village just because they could not afford to live in the areas that maybe aligned a bit more to their political likings. I would guess this is similar to all the folks upset by the gentrification happening in all the areas.
You commented you moved here in 2023 in your bio. What brought you to this town? I am curious as it seems you really have issue with allot of the town and the way things are ran. It almostt feels like you were hoping to get embedded and fix some issue most do not feel needs fixing.
The advocate gets allot of comments on its posts which are by out of town folks in towns that are being ran in ways the majority of residents do not want here. We deal with enough of the bad policy choices of the surrounding areas as it is.
Your statement on not seeking a middle ground is why your were you are now. that type of attitude will not win you many supporters in the older homeowners who are here for the long hall.
I will be curious to see the follow up tomorrow post the meeting to see what happens tonight. Weather should not be a factor so hopefully you get the support your looking for.
You're still confused, Don. I'll repeat myself again. We simply have demanded that our rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press be respected by the library. We will not seek a "middle ground."
If that's stirring the pot or troublemaking, so be it. I don't think constitutional rights are negotiable. —Kevin Gosztola
You can meet in the park Kevin they are not locking you in your house. Technically you could meet in the public area of the library at tables and just chat as long as you not disturbing folks. Or even hold these meetings in your basement. Are you expecting them to kick your door down mid meeting at your house?
You constitutional rights are not being impeded here that is just ridiculous.
This is we're when I say senseulized reporting is hurting your ability to get a open dialect going is showing. You sound like the crazy folks to the far left and right of things when you make statements like our constitutional rights are being taken.
Does it suck you will not be able to use the room. Yes. But is it directly because of how you have chosen to direct you crusades in town.
I am only confused on why you choose EP to move to if you hate how it is ran and by whom it is ran by so much.
Good luck tonight I do hope maybe you can find a route to allow your use of the rooms.
I looked it up, Oak park, River forest, Franklin Park, which are all the niebooring towns do charge a fee. River groove does not list one but I do not believe they have meeting rooms.
That is 3 of 3 with meeting rooms charging locally. Fees are lower but all their faciltys are also older and smaller.
Maybe it is the case for some areas farther from here not to charge but the charging is not 3 out of four who do not locally. I am guessing you pulling that number from a large sample of the whole northern suburbs.
These types of statements are why the vocal folks who have the community leaders ears will be able to get you basically excommunicated.
At this point it seems a done deal. I would recommend reaching out to the local churchs.
A few of the local businesses my even get a bit of a boost if you hold your monthly meetings in thier locations. This was were the community groups in town historically gathered. Armand's, Russel's and such.
I do not think the VFW will based on some of the more decisive things that have manifested post articles on here. But they may be a option too.
I do not believe it is totally revenge related. In the last decade or so there has also been a move to charge for use of community center rooms. It is just in part a cost of the times. Our taxes locally have not increased in step with operational costs.
When I was in HS here in the early 90's you could sign out a room there for free that is just not the case anymore. Even the Forest preserve charges for gazebo use now.
As for oak Park I stand corrected but the others do. OPPL also I unlike EPPL does allow political originizations to meet there. Which is something a majority of folks do not want here in EP.
No, River forest library charges $30 for for-profit groups, it does not charge for residents. Franklin park has no fees listed for residents. Where are you getting other information?
Do you really believe that the Advocate makes a profit from any of this? Truly? We have actually been spending our own personal money this entire time. We are a community newsletter, clearly not for profit.
I am so grateful to have found the EPAdvocate and would pay if I needed to do so. I’m a fish out of water here in EP having just moved here. The quality of reporting is excellent.
So not making a profit and being a non for profit are not the same thing as you know. That 501 status opens up other opertunitys. Non for profit status is a very specific thing.
Just like as pointed out the garden club would have been in trouble also as is not profitable but I do not believe they are non for profit.
Under OPPL they define it as follows
Not-for-Profit: Groups are defined as not-for-profit when their missions serve an educational, cultural, charitable, political, or civic purpose. Not-for-profits include 501(c)3 corporations and unincorporated associations, organizations, clubs, book groups, or government agencies.
For-Profit: All groups that do not fit the definition
Maybe I missed this but I do not recall this broad of a definition of non For profit at EPPL documentation.
Just make sure well you working to keep this open for the advocate to get the verbage into the document. Will save you guys the hassle down the road. When someone get a itch about things.
Kevin everyone knows what the library is doing. People who have lived here for generations know how this and most local governments work in IL. The advocate has chosen to push on local government. That's great you feel your wronged and should push back but do not think it will will be the same as pushing back against say Chicago or the federal government. These are the consequences of that push back. This is a small town and now the a advocate is even know to those offline because people talk.
Hopefully you get some turn out and maybe you can make a change tonight but I think sadly you have already turned a corner which takes you down a oneway street.
If you going to make a go here in EP your going to have to adapt to EP and learn to find a middle ground between your new way of thinking and the way many multigenerational family's think here. The old family's want no drama and to be left alone.
Best of luck to you tonight.
We wish to be left alone. The residents involved in this newsletter only asked for one thing: to be able to use the meeting rooms like every resident had used the rooms since at least 2023. We simply have demanded that our rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press be respected by the library. We will not seek a "middle ground." There is no compromise when a library is undermining residents' rights. —Kevin Gosztola
Sorry but Kevin you have chosen tactics that in other nieboorhoods would get traction but this is not those other nieboorhoods.
I do not mind open discussion. But I do mind folks trying to change a the village just because they could not afford to live in the areas that maybe aligned a bit more to their political likings. I would guess this is similar to all the folks upset by the gentrification happening in all the areas.
You commented you moved here in 2023 in your bio. What brought you to this town? I am curious as it seems you really have issue with allot of the town and the way things are ran. It almostt feels like you were hoping to get embedded and fix some issue most do not feel needs fixing.
The advocate gets allot of comments on its posts which are by out of town folks in towns that are being ran in ways the majority of residents do not want here. We deal with enough of the bad policy choices of the surrounding areas as it is.
Your statement on not seeking a middle ground is why your were you are now. that type of attitude will not win you many supporters in the older homeowners who are here for the long hall.
I will be curious to see the follow up tomorrow post the meeting to see what happens tonight. Weather should not be a factor so hopefully you get the support your looking for.
You're still confused, Don. I'll repeat myself again. We simply have demanded that our rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press be respected by the library. We will not seek a "middle ground."
If that's stirring the pot or troublemaking, so be it. I don't think constitutional rights are negotiable. —Kevin Gosztola
You can meet in the park Kevin they are not locking you in your house. Technically you could meet in the public area of the library at tables and just chat as long as you not disturbing folks. Or even hold these meetings in your basement. Are you expecting them to kick your door down mid meeting at your house?
You constitutional rights are not being impeded here that is just ridiculous.
This is we're when I say senseulized reporting is hurting your ability to get a open dialect going is showing. You sound like the crazy folks to the far left and right of things when you make statements like our constitutional rights are being taken.
Does it suck you will not be able to use the room. Yes. But is it directly because of how you have chosen to direct you crusades in town.
I am only confused on why you choose EP to move to if you hate how it is ran and by whom it is ran by so much.
Good luck tonight I do hope maybe you can find a route to allow your use of the rooms.
I looked it up, Oak park, River forest, Franklin Park, which are all the niebooring towns do charge a fee. River groove does not list one but I do not believe they have meeting rooms.
That is 3 of 3 with meeting rooms charging locally. Fees are lower but all their faciltys are also older and smaller.
Maybe it is the case for some areas farther from here not to charge but the charging is not 3 out of four who do not locally. I am guessing you pulling that number from a large sample of the whole northern suburbs.
These types of statements are why the vocal folks who have the community leaders ears will be able to get you basically excommunicated.
At this point it seems a done deal. I would recommend reaching out to the local churchs.
A few of the local businesses my even get a bit of a boost if you hold your monthly meetings in thier locations. This was were the community groups in town historically gathered. Armand's, Russel's and such.
I do not think the VFW will based on some of the more decisive things that have manifested post articles on here. But they may be a option too.
I do not believe it is totally revenge related. In the last decade or so there has also been a move to charge for use of community center rooms. It is just in part a cost of the times. Our taxes locally have not increased in step with operational costs.
When I was in HS here in the early 90's you could sign out a room there for free that is just not the case anymore. Even the Forest preserve charges for gazebo use now.
Sorry but you are mistaken. The named libraries do not charge residents a fee. They charge for profit groups, which is not the issue here.
We did the research. We took the time to even make a chart. We know what the library is doing. —Kevin Gosztola
As for oak Park I stand corrected but the others do. OPPL also I unlike EPPL does allow political originizations to meet there. Which is something a majority of folks do not want here in EP.
No, River forest library charges $30 for for-profit groups, it does not charge for residents. Franklin park has no fees listed for residents. Where are you getting other information?
The advocate does not have non profit status as of yet. Also the policy at the RFPL allows the following
The Director may establish rules and procedures governing use of a Meeting Room and related fees.
They could choose to charge per the directors discretion.
OPPL does not charge a fee for not for profit organizations from my knowledge.
The Advocate has yet to get it's no. For profit status. From the sounds of previous responses there is not a current I tention to do so.
Do you really believe that the Advocate makes a profit from any of this? Truly? We have actually been spending our own personal money this entire time. We are a community newsletter, clearly not for profit.
I am so grateful to have found the EPAdvocate and would pay if I needed to do so. I’m a fish out of water here in EP having just moved here. The quality of reporting is excellent.
So not making a profit and being a non for profit are not the same thing as you know. That 501 status opens up other opertunitys. Non for profit status is a very specific thing.
Just like as pointed out the garden club would have been in trouble also as is not profitable but I do not believe they are non for profit.
Under OPPL they define it as follows
Not-for-Profit: Groups are defined as not-for-profit when their missions serve an educational, cultural, charitable, political, or civic purpose. Not-for-profits include 501(c)3 corporations and unincorporated associations, organizations, clubs, book groups, or government agencies.
For-Profit: All groups that do not fit the definition
Maybe I missed this but I do not recall this broad of a definition of non For profit at EPPL documentation.
Just make sure well you working to keep this open for the advocate to get the verbage into the document. Will save you guys the hassle down the road. When someone get a itch about things.