Like many other suburban communities, Glencoe has passed an ordinance trying to prevent one-way bus drop offs in its community.
On Jan. 18, Glencoe Village Board Trustees unanimously approved an ordinance seeking to prevent one-way stops of buses of 10 or more people. The action comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been sending busloads of migrants into the Chicago area, including Wilmette and Winnetka.
“These unscheduled arrivals jeopardize the health and safety of the passengers disembarking, constitutes inhumane conditions, creates dangerous conditions for the individuals being dropped off in the Village, and otherwise creates a nuisance and a public safety concern,” Village Manager Phil Kiraly wrote in a memo to the Village Board.
Similar in nature to ordinances recently established in other nearby communities, this regulation applies to all one-way transportation providers of at least 10 passengers coming from a location outside of the village that is not a regularly scheduled service point. The bus operators must submit an application at least five days in advance of the drop off.
The owner or operator of the bus must complete a preregistration process with the village’s public safety department with bus drop offs limited to weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and have to do within 30 minutes of its scheduled arrival. The drop off location is the village’s Metra stop at 724 Old Green Bay Road.
The bus companies can face fines of $750 per passenger plus costs to the village if they do not comply with the new ordinance.
Village Attorney Steven Elrod said the ordinance applies to all one-way drop offs including bar or bas mitzvah buses or a sporting event transportation.
Village President Howard Roin stated it was not an “anti-migrant” ordinance.
“The purpose of this ordinance is to prevent bad drop offs so people don’t get left in Glencoe like it was last weekend when it was 20 below,” Roin said. “What is happening with Texas has called to our attention something that could happen not just with migrants but anyone. We don’t want anyone in large unannounced groups being dropped off with no one knowing about it so no one can help them.”
However, Rabbi Bruce Elder opposed the ordinance.
“The ordinance will potentially send buses farther away from Chicago and the processing center and it will make it more dangerous for asylum-seekers and more likely they will be dropped in a place that won’t take care of them, like we know Glencoe will,” Elder said.
Joining Elder in disagreement with the ordinance were residents Lee and Nancy Goodman.
“You don’t have to worry about them getting off in your town, they are not going to bother you,” Lee Goodman said. “They are not going to cause trouble; they are not going to move in next door.”
While Glencoe has not had any bus arrivals as of Jan. 23, Kiraly said preparations are still being made and contingency plans are in place between the village, Cook County agencies and Family Service of Glencoe, the village’s social service agency.
“Even with the ordinance in place, that does not stop or negate the possibility of an unscheduled bus that does require services,” Kiraly said.
Kiraly noted FSG representatives are assembling care bags to be used if necessary.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.