Some things never change. Kostka will continue to publish LIES in his newsletter and try to make a solid Village Management team look bad. Time to take him to court over the property appearance issues. He wants a fight. Give it to him.

I respectfully ask all the Village Council members to put themselves in Mr. Kostka's shoes for one minute. His home has been severely damaged due to decisions/mistakes by the Village, much much more than their neighbors. He and his wife are very good people - very kind, very honest. The current Village Council was not around back when these poor decisions/mistakes were made, but they have the power to fix it now. The Village has purchased many homes in the past and is spending millions of dollars on our new police headquarters. It is time they do the right thing at 108 N. Forest.

I think they should kill two birds with one stone and make it a floating Starbucks.

This man is nothing but an irritation to the elected officials and the residents of Palatine. As a former elected offical he should be embarrassed by his constant child like behavior. There are many residents who have dealt with flooding issues including myself and we have dealt with the problems and clean up without turning our house into a dump. Warren you are nothing but an attention seeking poor loser who expects the residents to shoulder your problems. I have read your rag of a newsletter and you should please stop the derogatory village bashing as it just proves that the residents in your district are much better off with the councilman who now represents them. Do us all a favor sell your Forest house as a tear-down and move your ass out of Palatine. We will all be better off.

Vicki:
You are half right Warren's Wife is a good person. Warren however is a blight on Palatine. Jim Advance comment is correct Warren should sell and move out of town.

Vicki isn't even half right. Good people don't behave like this. Jim A. is spot on. Kostka has had opportunites over the years that he has declined purely on principal. The village has offered to put drainage on his property. He declined. Why? He claimed "it wouldn't work". Since when is he an engineer with enough expertise to make that decision? I've seen the correspondence between him and the village. They've made offers, offers that they weren't offering to anyone else. He's declined them because it wasn't what he wanted. If you're in a position like his, you need to TRY SOMETHING. The village's plans may not have completely recitified his problem, but it may have helped. He is lying. He has indeed left his home to fall into disrepair on purpose. So that he could get exactly what has happened. The people around him rising up to demand the village do something about it. Only he didn't get what he wanted. No purchase for you. He's made this bed, he gets to lie floating in it now. His comment to the council about the people that have to live around him was "Do you see what you've done [to these people]?" The council didn't upset the people around him, he did. No sympathy for someone that doesn't even try to help himself.

Who would like to line up and by this property? Since you are all telling Warren to sell and move, no one is preventing you from buying, are they? Listen, I've known Warren and Gail for 12 years. I'm a contractor in Palatine and a friend of theirs. I have been called out to help them pump out their basements when they were getting 6 feet of water in their basement. I stood out on their deck watching the flood waters race down all the neighbors backyard directly to the Kostka's house. The water poured into their basement windows and basement door. Have any of you witnessed this? I bet most have not. They have replaced their furnaces, hot water tanks, washer and dryer a few times. Not to mention the constant clean up of the basement. I've seen the manhole covers lift in the air by 2 feet because the storm sewer system newly installed cannot handle the volume of water in the area. Do any of you have this constant problem? Who can you sell your property to? When contractors approched the Village for possible tear down and rebuild, that's when they found out about the flood problem. Who would want to buy? The options of a manhole at the NW corner of the house to catch the incoming river in the backyard then connect to the storm sewer in the street which already cannot handle the storm water will not work. It does not take a rocket scientist to fiquire that out. The manhole will then over flow and the water will just pour back into the basement. Let move on, buy the property.

Ron,
With all due respect, you have no idea what we neighbors deal with on both sides of the issue. The difference is we did something about it.
Matt

Didn't I hire you to rod out my sewer last year?

As a Palatine resident and having watched this unfortunate ongoing situation and embarrassing behavior of the Village's response to provide some realistic relief for this homeowner, I am all for the village buying this property and giving some peace, safety, and relief to everyone in the village. It is not just the toll of continuing property damage that is at risk but the human toll of the stress and aggravation that is making us all sick that needs to stop. I am so so so sad for all of us.
Please Palatine do the right thing and buy the N forest ave property.

We enjoy reading Mr. Kostka's position in his papers. The reason being there is always some truth to what he is saying - even sometimes he says a lot of truth. Perhaps he could say it differently, but after many years he has resorted to sarcasism and stretching the facts. The important thing is there is always truth in what he talks about. It seems if so many were not anti-Warren, much of what he speaks of could be corrected and I am not just talking about his flooded property. Perhaps if there were term limits there would be more truth done by the council and others so no one would have to resort to his tactics. Whatever has caused his flooding problem, it is, in fact, a huge problem for the Kostkas, the neighborhood, and Palatine. It isn't farfetched to think how many of the council and past council members, mayors, and other politicoes of Palatine have laughed over their plight. In stead of being vindictive, perhaps it's time for everyone to call a treuce and fix the problem. It's sad how this is being played out in a public forum. At this point, the truth of this entire ordeal is lost. I don't know the Kostkas, but I am a bit familiar with Palatine and those running the rules. I've heard the bitterness expressed. What a sad day for our town.

Can someone tell me how the piles of asphalt that the kids in the neighborhood will likely someday hurt themselves on, the enormous eyesore of an illuminated sign, the complete neglect of the first floor of the home (that sets above all of this water and should therefore be unaffected), the removal of every tree & shrub on the property, A COMPOST PILE, etc.. will offer any sliver of resolution to Warren? Everyone knows that there is a problem with the water in the neighborhood. There is no disputing this. Everyone else chooses to deal with it like adults and this has obviously proven far more successful than his 25 years of childishness. If/ when someone hurts them self on his obstacle course of a yard will Warren ask the village to assist in covering that lawsuit? I wonder what the company that insures his home has to say about it's condition and neglect? This house is his problem, he has chosen to deal with it this way; and like Chris says, let him float in it or leave town.

It is a sad day for our town. These are good people (if you got to know them yourself directly, you would find that out) who have been the victims of others' actions and inaction that has resulted in losing very significant value of their main asset. It is easy to say Warren hasn't "behaved" properly, but you should ask yourself how you would react after 25 years of going through what he and his wife have gone through. There are 2 sides to this story and unless and until you take the time to truly hear both sides, you won't know the real story. - Vicki Wilson

Is there more than one side to this story ? Absolutely.

The truth and the facts of this matter are known only by very few. Yet the misleading tales and personal attacks are known by many.

The personal attacks against Warren Kostka are not a part of this story. Enough.

Could Warren Kostka have made some mistakes along the way ? It is possible.

In fact, I would guess that if Warren Kostka could go back in time and handle this matter differently that he might make some changes.

But none of us get that chance.

I kindly suggest that we all take a good look within our own lives. What was your challenge ? How did you handle yourself ?

I predict that nobody would be left to throw that first stone.

I kindly suggest that we find some compassion. One thing we all know for sure: the Kostka family is living through one tragic situation after another.

We need to work together and figure this one out.

They are our neighbors. Let us start acting like it.

Back when Mr. Warren first ran for office he tried to present himself as a man of the people but I found him only concerned about his own political ambitions. Mr. Warren has had no problem throwing unfounded accusations at village officials in his "newsletter". Some of them were so off base and inaccurate that they were nothing but lying by Mr. Warren. I have more compassion for the unlucky Palatine residents who have to live next door to this slumlord. There is no excuse to let your property look like this eyesore. Mr. Warren I have a suggestion for you, try calling Permaseal or US Waterproofing, You must be violating a half a dozen village codes. You should have spent your effort trying to improve and fix your problem instead of digging trenches and hanging signs. And please stop putting your newsletter in my mailbox as it is unwanted and violates USPS code.

So we have Jim Wilson, former Village hack who's at least partially responsible for the situation, bashing personalities and not debating facts. Typical - glad you are out of govt.

We have upset neighbors, as I would be, saying "we fixed our own, he should too" without all the facts of just how much EXTRA water Kostka receives. Again no facts all emotion.

Love the new police station - bet they could scrimp on a few plaques honoring themselves for building it and just buy the damn house and raze it.

Well, he must have done something terribly wrong to cause God to flood him out -- so let's run him out of town.

The Village of Palatine and their poor planning couldn't possibly have anything to do with this. So don't complain about their extravagant police station building or heated sidewalks at the library.

And fine the hell out of them. And print it in the news each time. We want to let everyone know just how much The Village of Palatine sucks.

Catherine,

If you have always lived in Palatine, how would you know any better.

If I could afford to move back to CT, I would in a heartbeat.

And, Catherine, you show yourself to be just another person who wants to tell people to get out if they don't like what goes on here.

You have no right to offer an opinion on this unless you have to witness this eyesore everyday. Water did not cause the damage to most of this property. Take a drive. Check it out for yourselves. Garbage, broken trees, weeds, dirt mounds, judge for yourselves.

I don't need to see it to believe that the Village should purchase the property and put an end to all of this.

Just how wrecked does your home and its value have to be by flooding before you realize you're wasting money fixing it up when no one will want to buy it anyway?

We tell our children that no matter how much they kick and scream they will not help get their way... How is the way this is being handled any different? What kind of an example would be set if the Village was to give in and purchase because of this unacceptable behavior.

The Village should "give in and purchase" because it was the Village who caused the problem to begin with. Mr. Kostka tried quietly for 20 years to get the Village to do the right thing, as it has with other properties in our town. They have refused. How would you feel if your main asset was worthless due to someone else's poor decision-making? The Kostkas have spent so much of their money over the years due to the extreme flooding. To put additional money in at this point is just pouring money down the drain, no pun intended.

By the way, I completely understand the neighbors' frustration. I would be frustrated too. But I would direct my frustration at the people who caused the problem and who can fix the problem - the Village.

Vicki,
Please explain to me how all "the water" has defaced the trees in his yard, made the gutters fall off( by the way gutters help with flood control as do trees), started a compose pile next to his neighbor(full of coffee grounds and egg shells and other garbage that stinks), made his sideing fall off his house, and erected huge ugly signs on the front of his house. Water can do that? Check your facts, the village tried to take steps to help. Warren wants all or nothing, that's his problem. In 20 years he has never tried to make it any better or gradually work towards a solution. How come he never lets anyone official in his house to inspect? Has he ever shown pictures of the damage? You must be good friends, try moving next door to him, give it sometime but sooner or later you will grow tired of him too. You certainly don't understand.

Forest, I understand why you say I couldn't possibly understand your situation. That may be exactly how the Kostkas feel - that nobody truly understands their situation. I don't want to speak for them. What I do know is that I have gotten to know them over the past 3-4 years and know they are good people who are in a very bad situation. The Village could have rectified this situation years ago and bought the property as they have with many others, so please direct your frustration to them. Please don't believe everything someone tells you until you get both sides of the story. The Village is the original cause of the problems at 108 Forest. It is time for a resolution for everyone's sake.

Warren has burnt many bridges with counsel members,citizens and neighbors alike for a very long time now. . People who once had symapthy for his situation no longer do based on both his actions and his behavior towards them as well what he has done to the exterior of his house and yard. These are the reasons why people are disgusted with him and by doing these things he has made this a neighborhood issue. The village had nothing to do with Warren's treatment of people or the dispicable way he keeps the exterior of his house and yard, which gets worse as time passes. That is all of Warren's doing. He now has to live with the repruccsions of those actions.

You cannot treat citizens, neighbors and village board members, with disrespect and vengeance, make false accusations, slander people publicly and expect to be treated in return with respect or gain symapthy. Yes this has been going on too long but Warren has caused that as well by refusing help from the village on several occasions. Sometimes you just don't get your way, grow up and act like this man that Vicki says that you are becasue we certainly haven't seen it. When we see that happening then maybe Warren will start gaining a little more tolerance, respect and sympathy. This is a good community who has a strong connection and we are tired of Warren's antics. When he starts showing us respect by cleaning up the exterior of his house and his yard and treating his neighbors decently maybe that same respect will be returned. Until then Warren is getting what he deserves....flooding or no flooding....it's about his lack of character, his treatment of citizens, neighbors and village members and the things he has chosen to do to his house that has been an eyesore in our neighborhood for years and years, that we have tolerated until now.

I do not know anyone in this story personally, however over time I have learned that if you want anyone to care about your problem, you need to make it someone else's problem. It sounds to me like Warren has done just that. If he quietly sat by and did not let his property's disrepair bother neighbors, well, would anyone care at all much less be an article online with people commenting on it? I would guess, probably not. Hopefully all involved will get resolution to the issue soon.

Jean,
Unfortunately Warren has not done that. The neighbors are not rallying behind Warren to help him with his cause. His actions and behaviors over time have done the complete opposite. We are not going to village meetings supporting his cause. We are gong to the village complaining about what he has chosen to do with his existing house as well as his actions and behaviors towards us and other citizens around the area. This does not sit well with the village, the exact people he needs to help him with this situation. He would have been better off getting the support of the neighborhood because we do look out for each other and support one another. As I said before he has burnt all the bridges he had many years ago and he has done so knowingly and willingly.

Interesting - the "WANT WATER" sign is now gone.

Hmmm, seems like there are two courses of action to be take: 1) Village of Palatine condems the property and pays lot value for it and makes it a green space as they did with the gas station on Palatine and Plum Grove Rd, or 2) the owners mortgage the property to the max and walk away making it the banks problem.

You know what Margaret.....There are ways to solve flooding problems and even reduce flooding issues without making your house and yard and eyesore as Warren has. Many neighbors have done that and have done it very successfully. We all have had flooding issues and have rectified them.
If he would like neighborhood support he has never once asked for it. All we get are slanderous "newsclippings" or whatever his "publication" is called letting us know how "evil" the village council is. I respond to facts...not to emotional and vendictive rantings.
Warren has turned down many offers made by the village and has treated his neighbors, citizens and board members very poorly; to put it nicely. These are the facts and that is what I am responding to.
If Warren would like to present facts on what the village has done to help him or offers they have made him and why he chose not to take that help, pictures of the damage and what it has done to the inside of the house.....then I will be ready to listen but for the past 10-15 years he has not done that....and he certainly has been presenting himself in a very, very poor manner over that time as well.

I was hired by the builder (Myslo) that built the home next door west of Warren's on Wilson St. He had the home sold and I was doing the final grading prior to laying the sod on a saturday morning in 1990. Kostka was harrassing me and following me around with his video camera and insisting that I stop because this project was causing him flooding issues. A few minutes later the builder arrived at the job and told me to continue, as his detailed grading plan was approved by the village. He informed me that he had altered the grade and resurveyed it several times and was even forced to lower the home to appease Kostka. After he and Kostka exchanged a few words, Kostka called the police. The officer heard both sides, told Kostka to stay on his own property, said it was a civil matter and left. I remember later eating lunch at Popeye's down the street with the builder and he told me how Kostka had been harrassing him since he was issued a permit. He felt Warren was looking for someone to shoulder the expense for an existing problem. The builder was also an HVAC contractor and said his father had known the past two owners of Kostka's home dating back to the early 1950's, said the home had water problems since it was built, around 1948. I also remember the builder saying the natural grade slopes down from west to east between Ashland and Forest St. and he can't change that. I've done many similiar jobs for him since in Palatine without incident, but also without warren next door!

I have realized that the property is an eye sore, but by throwing things and taking manners into your own hands has only caused more of a corruption. The village needs to do something besides just let it rot.

Joe, thanks for the insight in your experience and information on the history of this house. Seems Warren didn't due his due diligence when he purchase the property. Can't blame the Village for something thats been a constant since 1950. I know Permaseal can come into old houses and install footing drains and a sump pump which would probably have fixed his problem.

Jim Advance,
Why do you keep insisting you know what would or would have fixed the problem? Have you seen the problem firsthand? Are you qualified to make that statement? There are different types of flooding problems. Are you familiar with the type the Kostkas have been dealing with all these years? If the Village allowed a house to be built on a lot not suitable for a home in the 40s and then made it worse by their actions in the 80s, that appears to make them more at fault, not less.

Vicki W. How many conversations have you had with Permaseal or US Waterproofing or some of the local plumbers about this issue? I have had enough to comment intelligently. I manage three north shore buildings that have water issues every time we get one of these 100 year storms. My home has only flooded twice but I have overhead sews installed and three battery back up systems in my crawlspace so I think I know something on the subject. What is your expectise that you can comment?

Jim Advance,
Each situation is different. You cannot comment intelligently on something you have not seen firsthand. You cannot possibly know both sides of the story without witnessing it yourself.

V.W. There are basically two types of flooding issues, water seepage and sewer back up. Now what is your expertise in flood control that caused you to comment?

Take a look at who is running this town, and look at how they're behaving!
They would rather waste time on Warren Kostka and his house, than actually address the issue.

All Mr. K is doing is bringing attention to the issue-- Which is.... PALATINE HAS A SERIOUS FLOODING PROBLEM!!! AND THE VILLAGE IS INCOMPETENT.

I think it is a disgrace that grown-ups are so focused on picking on this man instead of fixing the problem which MANY residents not just Mr. K face.

If the village of Palatine doesn't address and fix the problem with the storm sewers, flooding, etc, they will have even bigger problems on their hands.
Especially considering many of the newer sub-divisions are knowingly built on swampy land.

I understand that for the neighbors of Mr. K the exterior of his home has become a safety issue as well as a visual nuisance, However as residents, we should be supporting other residents and their attempts (however strange) at making Palatine a better place for everyone to live. I'm sure you too, would be upset if your home was flooding and the village was unresponsive, because around here it's not only one house that floods, we are all at risk.

Easy for you to be compassionate because you don't live next door to this eyesore. Kostka has made a conscience decision to keep his property looking like this as a protest. I know someone who has been in that house and he said the inside doesn't show any signs of water damage. My house has flooded and I spent my money to fix the problems. If you are so compassinate then you should also be sensitive to the neighboror who have to look at this mess every day. What if you lived next door and had your house on the market to sell. Do you think you woud get top dollar because Mr. K is such a considerate neighbor? He has always looking for the spotlight and loves getting his name in the press. I feel sorry for his wife who has to live with him.

And also Kate I like the "people" who are running this town. I would live next door to most of them and break bread with them any day of the week. I think the Mayor and the Board do a good job of balancing out what is best for the village. I have lived in this town for over 40 years and appreciate the changes made in the last 15 years. You should have been here in the sixites when there was real flooding in Winston Park. Every raised ranch in the eastern part of town had some form of flooding in those below grade garages.

Chicago Food Guy- No not old just a forty year resident of Palatine. I think I have enough experince with flooding. I manage 3 industrial buildings and 4 residential properties so I have some experience. I have talked to Permaseal and US Waterproofing as well as a half a dozen plumbers about flooding issues that my buildings have experienced. Maybe you are unware of that there are things that could be done to fix his problems. But the fact is there in no reason to let the outside of your property look like a dump. What's with the boarded up window? Guess the plywood keeps the flooding to a minimum. I have been told that the basement is spotless and clean without any signs of flooding problems. Warren has made the outside look like it does to create a problem for the Village and the neighborhood. Ask yourself this Chicago Food Guy- Would you want to live next door to Warren? I for one am glad he is not my neighbor. He made his house look like this for negative publicity. There are many people who have experienced flooding including myself and no one else in that neighborhood lets their house look like a war zone.