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Post by player on May 2, 2008 18:02:29 GMT -6
Sides sparring over Metea siting agree to mediate dispute
By Melissa Jenco | Daily Herald StaffContact writerSend To:
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 and the parents group that filed a lawsuit against it have agreed to try mediation.
The two sides will meet May 13 to try to hash out their differences over where to build Metea Valley High School.
Site work already has begun on the land off Eola Road just south of Diehl Road in Aurora where the district plans to construct its third high school.
However, the grass-roots group Neighborhood Schools for Our Children is suing the district in an effort to force it to buy the Brach-Brodie site at 75th Street and Commons Drive in Aurora as it had originally planned.
The district switched gears after a jury set the price for that property at $31 million - $17 million more than the district anticipated.
The district then attempted to buy land on Eola Road owned by Midwest Generation and St. John AME Church. That, too, fell through when Midwest Generation backed out of the deal due to public controversy.
The parents group had filed a lawsuit over environmental concerns at the site and accusations that the district promised to build on the Brach-Brodie site during its referendum campaign.
Last month, the district bought 84 acres solely owned by the church, but the parents group is pursuing its lawsuit.
The two sides today agreed with DuPage County Circuit Judge Kenneth Popejoy's suggestion to try mediation.
"I told the judge I thought it was a long shot that the parties would come to some agreement but given the gravity of the issues involved here mediation was something we should try," said Shawn Collins, attorney for the parents group.
On May 13, representatives from the district and parents group will meet with retired Judge Edward Duncan.
"Mediation is intended to get to the core motivations of parties," said Michael Scotti, attorney for the school district. "We thought hopefully Judge Duncan would find a way to address the plaintiff's issues short of the relief requested in their complaint."
Both sides said that while they agreed to mediation, they did not want it to cause a delay in the case. The district's motion to dismiss is still scheduled to be heard on May 23.
The 3,000-student Metea Valley High School is scheduled to open for freshmen and sophomores in August 2009. Officials have said it is needed to relieve overcrowding in the district that includes portions of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
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Post by rural on May 2, 2008 18:14:17 GMT -6
How much do you think tickets to the bout will go for?  |
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Post by fence on May 2, 2008 18:49:54 GMT -6
Oh seriously. Do you smell what the Rock is cooking? How much do you think tickets to the bout will go for? |
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Post by fence on May 2, 2008 18:51:25 GMT -6
But seriously, there isn't really any way to split this one down the middle. What could the district do, or what could NSFOC do that could concede anything without conceding everything?
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Post by doctorwho on May 2, 2008 19:02:32 GMT -6
But seriously, there isn't really any way to split this one down the middle. What could the district do, or what could NSFOC do that could concede anything without conceding everything? Nothing that I can see -- there is no middle ground here - either the land we were sold to vote on, or the property a lot of people don't want. Here's one thought - ( thinking outside the box) - offer people the option of where to attend HS in the district. Survey 7th and 8th grade parents and see exactly how many people want to attend MV @ AME. WVHS & NVHS -- and then maybe we'd see if we have an issue or not. The silent majority claims most people are just fine with AME site -- let's see if they are right? |
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Post by emanon on May 2, 2008 19:14:43 GMT -6
But seriously, there isn't really any way to split this one down the middle. What could the district do, or what could NSFOC do that could concede anything without conceding everything? Nothing that I can see -- there is no middle ground here - either the land we were sold to vote on, or the property a lot of people don't want. Here's one thought - ( thinking outside the box) - offer people the option of where to attend HS in the district. Survey 7th and 8th grade parents and see exactly how many people want to attend MV @ AME. WVHS & NVHS -- and then maybe we'd see if we have an issue or not. The silent majority claims most people are just fine with AME site -- let's see if they are right? That wouldn't be fair. I have younger ES kids and do not want to attend MV @ame. |
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Post by southsidemom on May 2, 2008 19:25:12 GMT -6
District has to save face and be willing to have mediation or they would be viewed as noncompromising when court time comes. Let's see what happens, if anything. I doubt it will make a bit of difference but I hope to be wrong. I agree with Doctorwho completely. DrD and SB won't take that vote though because my money says they know they won't prevail.
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Post by doctorwho on May 2, 2008 19:27:36 GMT -6
Nothing that I can see -- there is no middle ground here - either the land we were sold to vote on, or the property a lot of people don't want. Here's one thought - ( thinking outside the box) - offer people the option of where to attend HS in the district. Survey 7th and 8th grade parents and see exactly how many people want to attend MV @ AME. WVHS & NVHS -- and then maybe we'd see if we have an issue or not. The silent majority claims most people are just fine with AME site -- let's see if they are right? That wouldn't be fair. I have younger ES kids and do not want to attend MV @ame. Well we can either survey everybody ( our Super did tell us how much he likes surveys and they are cost efficient - but we've yet to see one) - or do the first sub group affected - I don't care... of course if we don't have an issue -as the silent majority says - then we can move on - high schools for everyone. And yes I have thought about the bus costs - well they don't seem concerned that AME will cost more than BB would have - just compare it to 2 schools - Heck I'll chip in and supply my own transportation. btw -- since you don't want to attend AME I hear you must either be one of the entitled 9 - or at least a paying nsfoc member  everyone else is thrilled with the site - the commute and all that goes with it. |
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Post by Arch on May 2, 2008 19:53:53 GMT -6
Maybe the district will make a good first move and promise not to start any construction until all 6 pipelines have ACVs on both sides of the property slightly beyond the property line, to isolate that section of line in the event of an accident.
Being that the kid's safety is the #1 concern, this should have been insisted by the district to the pipeline operators already.
While they are installing the ACVs on them all, they can replace the pipes themselves and restart the clock for all 6 lines.
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Post by ru4real on May 2, 2008 20:17:10 GMT -6
Maybe the district will make a good first move and promise not to start any construction until all 6 pipelines have ACVs on both sides of the property slightly beyond the property line, to isolate that section of line in the event of an accident. Being that the kid's safety is the #1 concern, this should have been insisted by the district to the pipeline operators already. While they are installing the ACVs on them all, they can replace the pipes themselves and restart the clock for all 6 lines. With all due respect Arch, I dare say that the SB is not going into mediation of Nblanketyblank to do what you feel is necessary. If everyone were as concerned as you, progress would not have started on said property. SB is just looking for an easy, fast way to begin @ EOLA even if 400 people in the district disagree for their own reasons. |
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Post by Arch on May 2, 2008 20:23:31 GMT -6
Maybe the district will make a good first move and promise not to start any construction until all 6 pipelines have ACVs on both sides of the property slightly beyond the property line, to isolate that section of line in the event of an accident. Being that the kid's safety is the #1 concern, this should have been insisted by the district to the pipeline operators already. While they are installing the ACVs on them all, they can replace the pipes themselves and restart the clock for all 6 lines. With all due respect Arch, I dare say that the SB is not going into mediation of Nblanketyblank to do what you feel is necessary. If everyone were as concerned as you, progress would not have started on said property. SB is just looking for an easy, fast way to begin @ EOLA even if 400 people in the district disagree for their own reasons. I rather like being on the side that can afford to be wrong with their opinion of the property. If the SB is wrong and kids die, who will they then blame? I can accept being wrong about it. Can they? |
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Post by ru4real on May 2, 2008 20:23:47 GMT -6
That wouldn't be fair. I have younger ES kids and do not want to attend MV @ame. Well we can either survey everybody ( our Super did tell us how much he likes surveys and they are cost efficient - but we've yet to see one) - or do the first sub group affected - I don't care... of course if we don't have an issue -as the silent majority says - then we can move on - high schools for everyone. And yes I have thought about the bus costs - well they don't seem concerned that AME will cost more than BB would have - just compare it to 2 schools - Heck I'll chip in and supply my own transportation. btw -- since you don't want to attend AME I hear you must either be one of the entitled 9 - or at least a paying nsfoc member everyone else is thrilled with the site - the commute and all that goes with it. DR I have listened to your one sided posts for awhile and truly, the only thing that the SB wants to say to PLY's is try to build a big bridge and get over it. There are way more important problems in the world, district, community than a single, ok than a feww 100 people's commute when trying to satisfy tens of thoussands. There...I said what a few hundred one this board wish they had the chutzpah to say to you...Shanti |
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Post by ru4real on May 2, 2008 20:26:58 GMT -6
With all due respect Arch, I dare say that the SB is not going into mediation of Nblanketyblank to do what you feel is necessary. If everyone were as concerned as you, progress would not have started on said property. SB is just looking for an easy, fast way to begin @ EOLA even if 400 people in the district disagree for their own reasons. I rather like being on the side that can afford to be wrong with their opinion of the property. If the SB is wrong and kids die, who will they then blame? I can accept being wrong about it. Can they? Arch, again, with the utmost respect. you are in the minority....save your keyboard strokes on this board and get to know the PTO at the private school of your choice for the safety of your children. The rest will quietly go to MV with little problem. |
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Post by player on May 2, 2008 20:26:59 GMT -6
Maybe the district will make a good first move and promise not to start any construction until all 6 pipelines have ACVs on both sides of the property slightly beyond the property line, to isolate that section of line in the event of an accident. Being that the kid's safety is the #1 concern, this should have been insisted by the district to the pipeline operators already. While they are installing the ACVs on them all, they can replace the pipes themselves and restart the clock for all 6 lines. Arch: that is a very intersting idea - installing ACVs at each end of the third of a mile of pipeline bordering the site, and changing the pipes. Have you discussed this in anther thread before? That seems to be something well worth investigating. Cheers. |
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Post by rural on May 2, 2008 20:27:04 GMT -6
QUOTE:
Both sides said that while they agreed to mediation, they did not want it to cause a delay in the case. The district's motion to dismiss is still scheduled to be heard on May 23.
TRANSLATION:
We both know where this is going, but we'll go through the motions and pretend to play nice in the sandbox before we start throwing sand at each other again.
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