Niles Village Trustee Christopher Hanusiak is requesting that the village board discuss the possibility of a new name and mission for the fountain and plaza in front of the village hall in Civic Center Plaza, on the southeast corner of Oakton Street and Waukegan Road.

The topic of whether the plaza, which is now called Nicholas Blase plaza, should be renamed has been a matter of debate in the village recently. The Bugle has solicited letters to the editor on the topic and received comments both pro and con. Resident Rosemary Palicki wrote to say, “To leave th plaque honoring him at Village Hall is an insult to every honest, hard working person in Niles.” Mayor Robert Callero went on record to say the Blase name should be retained, arguing, “...this error does not outweigh the 47 years of contributions made to this community. Mayor Blase's accomplishments cannot be undone.”

Blase, who was mayor of Niles for 47 years, pleaded guilty to federal charges of mail fraud and tax evasion and is now serving time in a federal prison in Duluth, Minn. According to federal prosecutors, Blase pressured Niles business owners, for as long as three decades, to purchase insurance from a Wheeling insurance agency, which then paid a kickback to Blase. The prosecutors said Blase received about $421,000 in kickbacks in the 10 years prior to his June 2006 arrest.

Hanusiak, a U.S. Navy veteran, is proposing the plaza be renamed to honor fallen U.S. military veterans from Niles, as well as Niles police and firefighter personnel who died in the line of service.

The village already has the Niles Veterans Memorial Waterfall plaza and fountain at Touhy and Milwaukee avenues, but Hanusiak said the one at Civic Center Plaza could have a distinct focus.

“The biggest difference is that the one at Civic Center Plaza would also honor police and fire personnel,” he said.

The Civic Center Plaza proposal would honor the fallen, whether they be Niles residents who served in the U.S. military or police and fire personnel who died while serving Niles, he said. In contrast, the waterfall plaza honors both living and dead veterans.

“It's a topic for discussion for the board,” Hanusiak said. “It's going to be an agenda item for the June meeting.”

Depending on the reaction of the board, the idea could be proposed as an ordinance for the future.

Hanusiak served in the U.S. Navy from 1987 to 1991, during Operation Desert Shield. He worked as a flight deck troubleshooter on the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy. Its last departure during his deployment was from Saudi Arabia.

Perhaps because of his Navy service, Hanusiak said Niles residents and veterans organizations have been asking him about the idea of renaming the plaza to honor fallen veterans.

In a prepared statement, he said, "They did something few people can really imagine. It is time that we recognize and remind our fellow Nilesites of those individuals who died while performing their military, police and fire duties which took their breaths and lives. Our police and fire fighters should see a tangible public place which shows our respect and appreciation for the jobs they do."