PARK RIDGE—Mayor Keith Misciagna wrote “to my Park Ridge family” on Aug. 13 with a message touching on his family’s thoughts at the end of summer vacation “as we prepare for my youngest son to return to college and begin his sophomore year.”
He said, “I know many of you are also making similar preparations and I hope part of that is making sure your kids are vaccinated. The college experience is once in a lifetime and the more students who are vaccinated the quicker schools can get back to that real college experience.”
Misciagna noted the memorial visitation for former borough mayor Donald Gelnaw, on Saturday, Aug. 14 at Our Lady of Mercy R.C. Church, and said he’d received a letter that week from another former mayor, David Grubb, sharing his memories of serving with Gelnaw.
The Hon. Donald F. Gelnaw, 84, passed away, peacefully, on Thursday, July 22, surrounded by his five children, and his sons-in-law and daughter in-law.
Born and raised in Westwood, Gelnaw was a United States Marine. He served here as a councilman and then mayor, 1980–84.
(For those who missed his obituary in our Aug. 9 issue, it’s well worth noting that instead of flowers his family were asking for donations to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.)
Misciagna told residents, “As I said to Dave after reading his letter and sharing some of my own conversations with Mayor Gelnaw, the lesson is that change is hard. During his tenure, 40-plus years ago, Mayor Gelnaw dealt with zoning issues and changes to many of the same properties that we are contending with now.”
He said, “The public sentiment was the exact opposite in those days as many residents, not comfortable with change, did not want a corporate park for the Sony Corp. or the now-beloved Bear’s Nest townhouses to change the character of our town.”
He said, “During my tenure, with the support of a large majority of residents, we have been trying to now preserve projects such as these. It’s an interesting lesson in the history of our town and as I said the theme seems to be that change is difficult whenever and however it happens.”
He said, “As elected officials we do our best to serve the residents and make decisions that are in the best interest of Park Ridge, but sometimes only with the benefit of hindsight can we see how those decisions turn out. I thank both Mayor Grubb and Mayor Gelnaw for their service to Park Ridge and its residents.”
125th Anniversary Gala
Misciagna also touted plans for the delayed 125th Anniversary gala, now set for Nov. 19. “We are hoping that the Covid-19 situation improves so that we are able to hold this event. Please watch your email and the borough website for details and information on how to get tickets.”
Green Monster project
And he noted the success of the Aug. 7 charity softball and cornhole tournament that resident Troy Taber held to honor his father, Michael and to benefit the Green Monster Project. A green screen will be installed along the top of the homer fence at the senior baseball field, at Sulak Lane, in memory of Kyle Green, a PRHS alumnus (2016) and PRHS baseball player (#16).
“Congratulations to Troy for pulling off an event that was a fitting tribute to his dad, a perennial Park Ridge volunteer. And congratulations to the Ridge Realtor team on their victory,” Misciagna said.
Fireworks Sept. 4
The mayor said the Recreation Department is hosting fireworks on Saturday, Sept. 4 (with a rain date of Sept. 5) at the high school football field. Music will begin at 7 p.m. and the fireworks show will begin at approximately 8.
Call to keep borough Open Space Fund
Misciagna also noted that ballots this November will have a question concerning renewal of the borough’s Open Space Fund, and argued for voting in favor.
The binding referendum authorizes the maintaining and continuing of the existing Municipal Open Space Trust Fund, which voters here approved on Nov. 8, 2016.
The ballot explanation reads in part, “The approval of this referendum would not create a new tax burden on the residents of Park Ridge, but simply continue and extend the previously approved Municipal Open Space Tax. This will permit Park Ridge to continue its Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund with an annual levy of up to 0.007 cents per $100 of assessed real property value.”
The average owner would pay $33 per year, which is equal to $2.75 per month, for a period of five years. Funds can be used only for the development, maintenance, and acquisition of lands for recreation and land and water conservation purposes, and historic preservation.
An oversight committee of local citizens will continue to advise the borough on how funds should be spent. Every year there would be a public audit of all expenditures.
The funds would enable Park Ridge to leverage matching grants from the county and state.
Misciagna said, “Remember, we lose access to our county funds if we don’t have our own fund.”