Village board analyzes their relationship with the schools
 by Greg Cryns
Richmond Report correspondent
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9/5/2002

At the Richmond regular village board meeting on Wednesday, 9/4/02, the working relationship between the village board and the school boards was examined.

Village attorney, John Roth, presented a personal letter to the board about the joint meeting with the school boards. He felt the school boards inferred that the village had been doing something wrong. “That is unfair,” he said. “We have an electorate we are responsible for.” If developer fees are increased, then it is reasonable for other government bodies such as the library and the fire department to request some of the money. Roth said that a request from the school boards for more money must be more thoroughly examined. Brusek added that it would be good to consider putting impact fees into a separate account and ask the schools to justify their needs. He noted that Spring Grove is asking for accountability from the school boards and  that the school boards did not ask to attend the village meetings in the past in Spring Grove.

Brusek said, “Schools are not happy with the current impact fees, but we’re at the legal maximum. What are the schools doing to help themselves?”  He emphasized that impact fee revenue can only be spent on capital improvements and that the schools must provide proof about how their money is spent. “We don’t want the school boards do come in and operate the village, just as we (the village board) does not want to operate the schools.”

Brusek suggested that one answer to the problem of insufficient school funding is in the legislature. He suggested to Jack Franks that the villages put an advisory referendum on the ballot, possibly from the entire county asking that schools be supported by other means, not just property taxes which drain the wallets of the local taxpayers. One option is to allow communities to choose to add property taxes to funding from the State of Illinois which would come from income taxes. “Maybe it is the system that is broken,” he said. Regarding the Steering Committee activities, Brusek suggested that no money be spent for consultants.
 

Trustee Doug Young said, “Property tax is the root of the problem. The taxpayers are being bled dry.”

Michael Scala was in the audience. He is the Huntley school board president for the elementary schools. He said, “The educational system is broken and puts too much burden on the taxpayers.” He noted that the Huntley system is much like the situation in the Richmond area. Huntley spends $5,000 per elementary pupil. Richmond spends $6,000. RBCHS spends $10,000 per pupil. The legislators are reluctant to help.

In a separate interview, Scala said that housing development does drive property taxes upward, but that this is partly due to the increased valuation of existing homes. Huntley has experienced four school related referendums in the past seven years.

In other business, Jeanine Nagle bought the Old Bank building at 5611 Broadway on August 1, 2002. She was told by a realtor at Katzenberg Realty that the living accommodations would not present a problem. Nagle’s intention is to operate an antique shop on the first floor and to use the kitchen on the first floor. She did not have legal representation when she entered the contract to buy the building. Nagle presented an alternative plan which would make the first floor livable if not up to village code. To bring the second story up to code, Nagle would have to spend $50,000 and provide a handicap access per federal law. Nagle does not have the money to do this right now.

Village President Brusek told Nagle that recent zoning ordinances would have to be changed to comply with her proposal. He said that the village cannot compromise on life safety issues. The building would need an exit from the second floor in case of fire. Brusek also said that the village’s goal is to keep the downtown area businesses alive and well.

The board decided to allow Nagle to live in the building temporarily until the zoning board could study the problem and report their findings to the village board. It was emphasized that this is not a permanent solution and that Nagle might have to leave the building with short notice.

Trustee Young read a letter from Rajesh Odedra to the board. Odedra owns the Pantry Express at Rte 12 and 31. Odedra was issued a citation for living in an apartment on the business premises. Odedra informed the village that his family had a legal right to live there and asked for a public apology since his reputation was damaged when the incident was reported in the newspaper. Brusek said that he overlooked a zoning variance granted to the owner of the property in 1993 and took full responsibility for the error. He said he would personally visit with Mr. Odedra to discuss the issue.

Charlie Eldredge asked the board to consider the concept of restoring the area around the creek to its natural state near Doyle’s restaurant. The fish and wildlife people are excited about the idea and would provide funding, but they would be looking to the village to chip in by removing unwanted foliage along the creek and to redo the grading. Young added tat he would like to see something done with the spring fed pond at the Nippersink Park and noted that it used to be used for swimming.

IDOT gave approval to begin the bidding process for the proposed bypass.