This folks, is a prime example of the wimpy child who received daily wedgies, using the computer to spout hate. Please do not respond with the type of ignorant, pathetic sentiment found in this "blog". This poor creature is so obviously in need of attention that he will lash out at anyone he deems worthy of his views. He seems to be lacking any semblance of a life, and this is all he has to fill his lonely days. I'm guessing he's never heard of volunteering for a worthy organization, but then again, no worthy organization would want someone so hate filled and pathetic. Maybe one day he will crawl out from behind his computer, from his dark, lonely dungeon and step out into the light and join the human race.

Ridiculous. I don't even live in mill creek and I fins this article appalling.

No I do not, I actually live on the east side. I just don't agree with lumping everyone collectively together with such harsh judgment. I think every subdivision/school community has issues that they bring up... it is not just people who live in Eaglebrook or Mill Creek. To me, your rants sound a bit jealousy driven. :)

Missy,

The East Side! That explains it! It's that old inferiority complex coming out again.

Don't worry, we'd still rather have you than Mill Creekers.

Jeff

Jeff, Sometimes i agree with your columns, but this one is rude and frankly represents what is wrong in society today. You have chastized people, humans with feelings, all based on where they live. Look around Jeff. The attitudes you are accusing Mill Creek people of, is everywhere. I know very nice people in Mill Creek and Eaglebrook. I also know plenty of people who have differing views of parenting than I do. But that is everwhere...even in your little corner of Geneva. Several years ago, low income housing was planned for an area in my pocket of "proper" Geneva. People were in an uproar. I dont know whatever happened to that proposed plan, but it showed a side of my neighborhood that i was dissapointed in. However, it doesnt make them bad people! What you wrote was just plain mean and disrespectful. That is not an opinion, it is bullying. I dont live in Mill Creek or Eaglebrook by the way....

July,

Though I knew it would happen and thank you for being one of the 5 people that generall agrees with me, that column should not be taken seriously by anyone.

I certainly didn't take it seriously when I wrote it ;-}

Jeff

Sarcasm Jeff is not lost on me. But i mostly find it degrading and hurtful humor. Why post something if you did not mean it? Try being nice. I find it is easier to stimulate meaningful dialogue if that is what you are trying to do with this column.

Kara,

It's not sarcasm as much as it's satire. And, of course, satire is always a dangerous thing. But what better way to get your point across than to smear Mill Creek with the same broad brush they so easily brandish themselves.

Though I'm not nearly as subtle as Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland isn't a children's story. It's a damning indictment of the English system of it's day done using some of the most brilliant satire you'll ever read.

Sometimes folks have to be jarred out of their own little world and that fits right in to the opinion columnist's job description.

Jeff

Opinion Columnist doesn't mean that you have to be a Jackass....

Well if that's the only qualification...then you're the right man for the job!!
Or...you could try-out for the lead role in the next "Grumpy Old Man" movie...

If this is Mr. Ward's final thoughts on the topic, why are 10 of the 22 comments from him? Mill Creekers, you are falling into his trap, just ignore him like everyone else does.

Satire requires a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.

Brian Schneden

no comment

And folks, this reply to McQuillan is Ward in a nutshell:
"No Bob, people ignore you, they actually pay attention to me!"
What a pathetic plea for relevance from a grown man: "Look at me, look at me! I'm important!"

To: J "Dubya" Ward-
homogenous: the word you meant to use
nirvana: the place we'd all be happy to send you
And a principality with a king?
not-so-quick-to-catch-on-to-some-concepts are you?

Jeff, you took comments from 2 Mill Creek residents, and decided that an entire community thinks the exact same way. Oh, I forgot, it's "satire". That makes it OK. You didn't attend the meeting about the proposed apartments, where people other than the 2 you quoted expressed their concerns, because you said "I value my life". Why would "satire" make you feel uneasy about attending the meeting? I get your point about painting with the broad brush, I do, but you could have made your point without being such a jerk, oops, I mean satirist. Can you explain how Mill Creek residents views differ from that of Glengarry, Blackberry, relevant Pepper Valley or Fischer Farms? Wasn't their a church fire near Fischer Farms? That must mean all those residents are atheist pyromaniacs, right? You keep hiding behind your cloak of "opinion", but really you just don't know how to express your opinoins without being rude.

Tim,

Not that I want to foment real rebellion, but I wish some of you could see all the private emails I've received from reasonable Mill Creek folks who admitted I'd hit the Mill Creek nail right on the head.

And since we're on the subject, "atheist pyromaniacs" actually fits Fisher Farms quite well. I will keep that in mind for future columns.

Jeff

Thanks Patch...'unsubscribe'

Rachel
You say "My parenting philosophy is to give my children everything I possibly can and more then I had growing up. I just want my kids to have the best education possible." The problem is that your children attend a public school. You need to depend on others to pay for their education. That said, you and I probably agree on more than you think. I have never said "no" to a quality education. My children did receive a quality education in the Geneva School District. It didn't require outrageous property taxes. GenevaTAXFACTS is fighting to maintain a quality education at an affordable cost. There is nothing wrong with that goal. If taxes continue to increase as they have in the past, the vast majority will not be able to afford to remain in Geneva. What happens when the population drops and the tax base disappears? Geneva is a graying community and many taxpayers no longer have children in the system yet are paying huge tax bills. The issue isn't that homeowners don't want to pay school taxes. The issue is that some parents are now demanding things that their children don't need and our children didn't have. If parents don't realize things need to change, they are the ones putting their children's future education in danger. High school taxes don't necessarily mean that the education is any better. Studies have proven this point.

Jeff is correct...people don't listen to you Bob....

Cryin' out loud - have some compassion, people and lay off Jeff! How would you like to be at the pinnacle of your career trajectory and writing for a free blog plus a couple of newspapers that are dropped at the end of your driveway whether you want them or not?
You'd be bitter, too!

As a Mill Creek apartment-dwelling, young, female with a child (Gasp! Not what is profiled, I know!) I accept the fact that, I am not a part of the City of Geneva. Jeff Ward thinks not being a Genevan is a great taunt; it's a simple fact, so simmer down, Mr. Ward.
In spite, of this residency fact, I love Geneva and I desire to make a positive contribution to the city, while excluding no neighborhood. So, in spite of all of Jeff Ward’s incendiary remarks in his article and comment section, he can consider my Mill Creek residency beneficial to him. Yes, Jeff, you are welcome. I’m happy to be a good neighbor, even to you.
Like many other towns, neighborhoods have their own kinks to work out. And we will work it out. Thanks for those political “pointers” and the many illustrations on how a community member with a far-reaching voice should not conduct themselves.

Jeff,

Speaking of geography lessons, Ron Singer is in the Fourth Ward as are you, which probably doesn't help his blood pressure. But do carry on.

I must say Mr. Ward you do deliver the "Patch Punch" so by all means carry on!

Thanks, Bill and he does draw a crowd!

Groan...I just read the article and comments because I was bored. Anyway, I need to give a shout out to Geneva Public Works - they have never ignored any service requests I have have made to them over the years. They have been quite helpful!

Jeanne,

I'm glad I could relieve your ennui! As for Public Works, you are correct, but since I was already heading down the hyperbolaic road, I thought why not have some fun with them too!

Jeff

More verbal diharrea, thanks Jeff washed up ward for wasting 5 minutes of my day. It sounds like some eggs may be hitting your house soon!

Where can I find more info about the proposed apartments? I know someone who is certain they will be Section 8 housing, then drug dealers will move in and ruin the Mill Creek utopia she thinks she lives in.

Mill Creek, Eagle Brook (you spelt it "book" - nice job for a writer I guess), the entire east side, then the entire Southern USA. You just keep adding to your insult list. That target on your back just keeps getting larger you idiot. You remind me of the loser in High School that would find creative ways to insult the jocks or popular kids that stole all the girls. Get a life!

C'mon, people, don't you get it? Don't get your panties in a wad. Step outside for a minute..........feel that hot air blowing? It's just Jeff talking again! He gets paid to rile people up.

Oh Jeff. This is why I have a split personality, you know. Us Geneva Township residents belong to no one. ;-)

Jeff
You have found a way to touch on the growing issue at hand here...one that everyone is aware of but afraid to speak out about. Not exactly sure I would have handled it in the same fashion but then again no matter how you approach this one, there will no doubt be many feathers ruffled.
Ever since the creation of Mill Creek people have gotten the idea that if they live there they are better than everyone else in Geneva. What a crock! If you call living in overgrown overly expensive houses on lots that are too small and paying ludicrous property taxes, then I guess you are better than me. Dare I say not as intelligent because who in their right mind would do such a thing when there are nice homes with much lower taxes in other parts of the city. Many of the people who live in Mill Creek (North i might add as there is a distinction between the two if asked) think they walk on water. To channel my inner child, who died and made them boss? NO ONE is better than anyone else. Money does not make you better than me or anyone else so get off your high horses and wake up to reality. If you live in Mill Creek you probably make more money than some others but that does not mean you are better. Get over yourself! I know plenty of people who live in Mill Creek South and you should hear the hurtful things Northerners call Southerners! What ever happened to being a unified community? Guess that got lost in the shuffle...Whose idea was it to include Mill Creek into Geneva anyway??

Kerri,

So there a Civil War might break out in Mill Creek after all? Now, that's something I'd really like to see!

Though Mill Creekers aren't nearly the only ones, there is a pervading sense around Geneva that we're somehow better than other folks and you've just been a little more blunt about addressing that than I was.

What Mill Creekers don't realize is, if you say "Mill Creek" to a real Genevan, they just roll their eyes. One friend even calls them "Mill billies."

But remember, the only thing that's Geneva about them is their address!

Jeff

Jeff
Again you might be on to something...and let the record show that I am not jealous of Mill Creekians in anyway shape or form. I have no desire to live there simply because of the stigmata that has been attached to it by the very people who live there. Yes I have heard of Mill billies, just another juvenile way for people to try and make themselves look better than others, sad thing is those very people end up looking worse! They should be ashamed of themselves....
and yes I too have done the eye rolling, especially when I go to buy garbage stickers. i ask for Geneva and get the Mill creek question. Please, do we really have to go that far as to have our own garbage stickers, shopping centers, schools and churches? Sounds a little utopian to me. Why not just create your own town, zip code and the whole nine yards? That seems to be the route they want to go anyways...

Kerri and Jeff,

I find it very disturbing how you both think you know everyone in Millcreek. Before we moved here 15 years ago, our first choice was Batavia. The house we bid on fell through and because we liked the tri city area we bought in Millcreek. We didn't choose Millcreek because we thought it was somehow better than anywhere else. We bought it because it's in the tri cities and it was a good fit for our family's needs. We also liked that it was near a park for our children to play at. After moving here we met many very nice people who made us feel welcome. Our children always had plenty of other kids to play with and now that they're older, they continue to have close relationships with many of them. We have different garbage stickers simply because we have a different service than the rest of Geneva. You make it sound like we insisted on having different stickers because we think we're special. I also don't feel that we overpaid for our house like you suggested when you said they are overpriced. 15 years ago the houses in Millcreek started at less than 200,000. Our house has risen in value. Even with lowering home values, we are still ahead. Call me a mill billy if you want, but I have no regrets about our choice of neighborhoods.

This coming from someone in the south. I know MANY people who live in SOuth Mill Creek and they are all wonderful and just like your average person. I should have been more clear when talking about it. I was referring to the northerners. And i do know many of those too. Some are nice normal average types who do not act like they walk on water. Others however tend to think they rule the world. This could be said about ANY neighborhood in ANY town in the US.
Thanks for letting me know the difference between garbage stickers. Until now I thought Mill Creek was techincally part of Geneva. I did learn something new today from all so thanks for the lesson.
The reason I made somethings sound like they were insisted was based on the mentality and superiority complex that many Notherners emit when talking about Mill Creek. I apologize if I ruffled any feathers...as I said we are ALL equal, no one is better than the other. Just wish some people would get off their high horses and realize that before placing judgment on people who do not live in Mill Creek.

Everyone please keep the "East Siders" out of the debate. :)

Rhonda
Maybe we BOTH should!
Kerri

First world problems

My husband and I are planning to move our family to Geneva from the city. We're coming from a neighborhood that's crawling with young children and noticed more kids in Mill Creek than than any other part of Geneva. Mill Creek schools also have great ratings.

I didn't know there was this sort of division among communities. If we opt for Mill Creek, are we going to be exiled by the rest of the Geneva community? We fell in love with the entire town.

Michelle - no, you should be just fine. Generally speaking, I have not come across much if any divisiveness between neighborhoods. Welcome to the area, it's a great place to live.

Michelle, as a Mill Creeker I can tell you that everything about Geneva is great! My family enjoys the library, park district and of course downtown Geneva and we never feel "exiled". Noel is right, there is never any issues between neighborhoods, we're all Genevaians (sp?)! Mill Creek is a wonderful place to live, our neighborhoods are full of kids and I cannot say enough how much I love Mill Creek Elementary, it is a wonderful school. Geneva is a great place to live and we hope you'll love it too!

And Fisher Farms is a great neighborhood, minus one knuckle head.