The loaded word “streetscape” again triggered a passionate debate at a recent Winnetka Village Council budget discussion. But rather than describing a plan aimed at enhancing business district aesthetics, some trustees said improvements need to be made for safety reasons.

“I almost broke my ankle today, again, in front of Caribou (Coffee). I mean, my foot went into a hole,” said Trustee Jennifer Spinney. “Why do we have these holes in our streets?  And I’m disturbed about it, and I’m going to be disturbed about it until these things are fixed.”

The discussion came after Public Works Director Steve Saunders introduced the issue of spending $250,000 in 2012 to make a more concerted effort to address deteriorating brick pavers, sidewalk patches and separating curbs in the downtown area. He told trustees that he’s been deferring maintenance as he waits for their direction from local leaders.

“(Since) the discussion on streetscape several years ago, we’ve kind of been in a holding pattern with some of the issues in the downtown district,” Saunders said. “We’ve got to do something. We can’t continue to piecemeal things together because I can’t keep up with them.”

Streetscape was a highly contentious package of improvements aimed at revitalizing the downtown area by updating lighting, sidewalks and other infrastructure improvements. That component of the project was estimated to cost $5.3 million, but the total project was estimated at $21 million. It was defeated in a non-binding referendum in fall 2009, and led trustees to shelve the conversation.

“We could be three years into what would have been a fabulous situation,” Spinney said, calling the downtown’s appearance “a village embarrassment to me.”

Trustee Christopher Rintz said he’d be in favor of doubling Saunders’ request, and allocating $500,000 per year for three years to include lighting as part of a downtown revitalization program, rather than concentrate on sidewalks and curbs in the short-term, only to rebuild them if a decision is made in five years to update fixtures.

“It makes no sense to me. You’re putting band-aids on it. Our residents deserve better than that,” Rintz said. When visitors or prospective tenants come to town, they see “extension cords duct-taped to 40-year-old light poles. They see light fixtures that look like they’re from outer space that are definitely from the ’70s,” Rintz said.

He said trustees should dip into reserve money to fund a more comprehensive downtown infrastructure program, even as it prepares to embark on a five-year, $38.9 million storm water management program that many consider the village’s top priority.

“You only have $40 million bucks in the bank,” Rintz said, with sarcasm. “I think we need to go a little further than this. I know with all this tunnel stuff people melt down and they don’t want to hear about it, they only want to hear us talking about storm water. … I’ve always believed it’s the village’s responsibility to do whatever they can to support and enforce the values of the real estate owned by its residents.”

Trustee Richard Kates agreed that money needed to be spent on the village’s business districts, but suggested the Council take a walking tour to see examples of how important infrastructure needs are. He also took issue with Rintz’s comment about reserve money.

“Those reserves are not sitting there so that people can pay double taxes to deal with the storm water issues,” Kates said. “Some of those reserves, in my opinion have got to be used for storm water, instead of taxing the people of this town, because reserves are reserves for that kind of thing.”

Kates also drew Rintz’s reaction by disputing the notion that the business district’s appearance affects home values.

“I disagree,” Rintz interjected, as Kates was in mid-sentence.

“Did I interrupt you?” Kates replied, turning to face Rintz, seated directly to his left.

Trustee Arthur Braun, who owns property in the downtown, was perhaps the harshest critic of the area’s appearance.

“Brokers don’t bring people to downtown Winnetka anymore because they believe there’s nothing here, there’s no foot traffic. It just looks horrible,” Braun said. “There’s nothing appealing about it. There’s no reason to walk around. You can break your foot, you can fall down.”

A walking tour and a future study session devoted to the issue will be scheduled in the coming months, according to Winnetka Village Manager Rob Bahan.

The Council also authorized Saunders to draft requests for proposals to find a consultant to perform a storm water master plan and a storm water utility rate, which could be implemented as a new fee for property owners to pay for infrastructure improvement costs.

Saunders budget includes $2.08 million in 2012 for storm water capital projects, as part of a five-year plan aimed at alleviating chronic flooding after severe rainfall.