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Post by Arch on Oct 16, 2007 19:53:44 GMT -6
Lacy, If you are both in fact correct... one can only speak on non-agenda items *AND* the agenda was simple "Executive Session" then one could speak about ANYTHING except EXECUTIVE SESSION, or 'meetings behind closed doors'. That would be my interpretation if everyone was correct in what they said. Almost a day later, and no one knows what the 1 comment was about? Except for the simple fact that it said: "Executive Session to Discuss Pending Litigation and Acquisition of Real Property"which apparently led some people to believe that could not speak regarding the acquisition of real propery. (which would include other sites) It did not just say "Executive Session" I did already concede that point of confusion I believe. So, what was the comment about, Air conditioning? |
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Post by lacy on Oct 16, 2007 19:55:12 GMT -6
Bob, I meant figuratively - not literally. I thought you could take a joke.  The bottom line is that it was unclear from the language used on the agenda as to whether people would be allowed to speak. There was clearly disagreement here regarding what the language meant. Since you chose to bring it back up today, I wanted to share the original post that suggested there could be no public comment on the matter. Nighty night. It sounds like you're suggesting everyone in the SD reads this forum. Wow - others have suggested that we're just handful of losers that have nothing better to do on a Friday night. Or a Tuesday night.  I don't know how many people read it here - but I assume it was available elsewhere? So anyone who read it anywhere could have been confused. Given that the words "acquisition of real property" were on the agenda - that looks like an agenda item to me. I think this horse has been beaten to death - I just wanted to point out the actual language. |
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Post by momof3 on Oct 16, 2007 20:32:38 GMT -6
It sounds like you're suggesting everyone in the SD reads this forum. Wow - others have suggested that we're just handful of losers that have nothing better to do on a Friday night. lol! www.youtube.com/watch?v=VppnteRfb-s |
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Post by gatormom on Oct 17, 2007 5:22:34 GMT -6
District 204 explores new sites for Metea Valley
October 17, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff writer
Four sites, 10 days and one big decision loom in Indian Prairie School District 204.
School board members have 10 days left to act on an offer of $518,250 an acre for 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie land, more than twice what they anticipated paying. In the meantime they have identified four sites as potential locations for the 3,000-seat high school and directed administrators on Monday to negotiate with all four landowners.
"The staff has made what the board considers a viable case for each of the four sites," said Mark Metzger, school board president. "In every instance we want to negotiate to know exactly what the dollar situation is as well."
Metzger declined to identify the sites, but said the board is aware of each site.
In 2005, when plans were being made for the first referendum to fund Metea Valley High School, the board came out with a list of vacant parcels. At the time, the board's focus was on the Brach-Brodie parcel; Wagner Farms at 103rd Street and Route 59; land near Naperbrook Golf Course near the border with Bolingbrook; and vacant land along the Reagan Memorial Tollway in the northern part of the district.
n In 2005, former superintendent Howie Crouse said the land near the tollway was planned for nonresidential use and the district was not interested.
n The land near the golf course is near a quarry and board members were concerned about the noise from blasting and issues with utilities.
n The 120-acre Wagner Farm parcel has limited access and any access point along Route 59 would have to be approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation, Crouse has said previously.
It is not known whether any of these parcels are the ones board members referred to on Monday. At the time of the unsuccessful 2005 referendum and the 2006 successful referendum, land at 248th Avenue and 95th Street was slated for the 800-home Ashwood development. Macom Corp. President Paul Lehman has since approached the district and offered to sell the district 62 buildable acres for a third high school. Earlier this year he offered the land at $334,400 an acre. Lehman said recently the land is still for sale if the district is interested.
The board has scheduled special meetings for both Thursday and Saturday, although Metzger said they are only needed if staff has new information for board members. Otherwise, the board has a regular meeting set for Monday. During the special meetings, the board is expected to meet in executive session.
Two residents from opposite ends of the district both agreed exploring all the options for Metea is a good idea.
"Given the additional costs and the fact it is twice the price we were expecting, I think it is entirely appropriate to pursue four options," said Peter Barnard, a resident of Tall Grass. "This is a lot of money to make a decision in a week for, and I feel we are being forced back into a corner, but hopefully, I think the board is doing the right thing and looking at options and trying to make an informed decision."
Jennifer Streder, a resident of Brookdale, said the board needs to explore all possibilities.
"I appreciate the fact that the Indian Prairie School District 204 board is doing all of their due diligence prior to making the final decision regarding the Brach-Brodie parcel," Streder said. "I feel we have a competent and educated board that is working to do their best to make a determination that is best for the entire district."
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Post by Arch on Oct 17, 2007 5:38:01 GMT -6
Always keep in mind, the Naperville Sun or the Beacon is not where great journalists end up as a final career choice.
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Post by gatormom on Oct 17, 2007 5:40:49 GMT -6
Funny. The first article I posted was from the Sun. Kind of unusual that both the Beacon and the Sun run an article on the same day but you are correct Warriorpride, in the Beacon article, 4 other sites are mentioned.
District sets sights on new site
Where will Indian prairie school go? • Twice the price: With 75th Street land too costly, board looks at options for third high school
October 17, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff Writer
Four sites, 10 days and one big decision for the Indian Prairie School District.
School Board members officially have 10 days left to act on the purchase of 55 acres of land along 75th Street in Aurora at a price of $518,250 an acre -- more than twice what they anticipated paying -- as a site for a new high school.
In the meantime, they have identified four other sites as potential locations for the 3,000-seat high school and directed administrators this week to negotiate with all four landowners.
"The staff has made what the board considers as a viable case for each of the four sites," said Mark Metzger, School Board president. "In every instance we want to negotiate to know exactly what the dollar situation is as well."
Metzger declined to identify the sites, but said the board is aware of each site.
In 2005, when plans were being made for the first referendum to fund Metea Valley High School, the board came out with a list of vacant parcels of land in the district, which covers the far East Side of Aurora and western Naperville.
At the time, their focus was on the Brach Brodie parcel on 75th Street; Wagner Farms at 103rd Street and Route 59; land near Naperbrook Golf Course near the border with Bolingbrook; and vacant land next to Interstate 88 in the northern part of the district.
But there were problems with some of those sites:
n In 2005, former Superintendent Howie Crouse said the land by the tollway was planned for nonresidential use, and the district was not interested.
n The land near the golf course is also across the street from a quarry, and board members were concerned about the noise from blasting and also issues with utilities.
n The 120-acre Wagner Farm parcel has limited access, and any access point along Route 59 would have had to be approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation, Crouse said at the time.
It is not known whether any of these parcels are the ones board members referred to on Monday.
The board has scheduled special meetings for both Thursday and Saturday, although Metzger said they are only needed if staff has new information for board members. Otherwise, the board has a regular meeting set for next Monday. During the special meetings, the board is expected to meet in executive session.
Two residents from opposite ends of the district both agreed that exploring all the options for Metea is a good idea.
"Given the additional costs and the fact it is twice the price we were expecting, I think it is entirely appropriate to pursue four options," said resident Peter Barnard. "... I think the board is doing the right thing and looking at options and trying to make an informed decision."
Resident Jennifer Streder said the board needs to explore all the possibilities.
"I appreciate the fact that the ... board is doing all of their due diligence prior to making the final decision regarding the Brach Brodie parcel," Streder said.
ETA: Put the entire article from the Beacon in.
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Post by gatormom on Oct 17, 2007 5:52:44 GMT -6
And now for the DH's spin.
Talks begin on four possible sites for Metea
By Melissa Jenco Published: 10/17/2007
Indian Prairie Unit District 204 is beginning negotiations on four possible sites for its proposed Metea Valley High School.
President Mark Metzger said Tuesday the school board has weighed the advantages and disadvantages of each of the possible locations. He would not say whether the four sites include the Brach-Brodie property in Aurora, which the district has long targeted for the school.
"All four of the options we're still considering and now beginning negotiations on are all capable of allowing us to remain within budget parameters that we committed to Oct. 1," Metzger said.
The district has been evaluating its options since a jury last month decided the 55-acre Brach-Brodie site off Route 59 near 75th Street and Commons Drive in Aurora is worth $31 million -- or about $17 million more than the district believed it to be.
Indian Prairie, which includes portions of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, already owns 25 acres at the site and hoped to purchase the additional land to build an 80-acre campus for Metea.
District officials say the third high school is necessary to relieve overcrowding at Neuqua and Waubonsie Valley high schools.
Because the district could not reach an agreement on price with the Brach-Brodie trust, the decision was put in the hands of a jury, which said the land is worth about $518,00 an acre, more than double the district's estimate of $250,000 an acre.
Construction on the 3,000-student facility was supposed to begin this past spring with an eye toward having the school ready to open in fall 2009. Officials have said the projected cost rises with each delay in the start of construction.
The district has until Oct. 27 to decide whether it will purchase the Brach-Brodie land. If it does, it will have to pay interest at a rate of $5,100 a day for each day it took to decide.
If it doesn't purchase the property, it will have to pay the Brach-Brodie trust's legal fees, estimated to be more than $4 million. It also would have to offer to sell the 25 acres it already owns back to the trust for the same price it originally paid -- about $6.4 million.
The school board already has promised it will not ask taxpayers for additional money for the project above the $124.7 million tax increase voters approved in a 2006 referendum.
Metzger has said the district has an extra $17 million to $20 million from land-cash donations, bond proceeds and interest that can be used toward the school if necessary.
The board has scheduled another meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. The meeting will primarily take place behind closed doors and will open only for public comment.
It also tentatively scheduled a meeting for 11 a.m. Saturday if necessary.
The next regularly scheduled business meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday. Metzger could not say whether the board will be ready to take action at that time.
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Post by warriorpride on Oct 17, 2007 5:54:52 GMT -6
District sets sights on new site
Where will Indian prairie school go? • Twice the price: With 75th Street land too costly, board looks at options for third high school
October 17, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff Writer
Four sites, 10 days and one big decision for the Indian Prairie School District.
School Board members officially have 10 days left to act on the purchase of 55 acres of land along 75th Street in Aurora at a price of $518,250 an acre -- more than twice what they anticipated paying -- as a site for a new high school.
In the meantime, they have identified four other sites as potential locations for the 3,000-seat high school and directed administrators this week to negotiate with all four landowners.Funny. The first article I posted was from the Sun. Kind of unusual that both the Beacon and the Sun run an article on the same day but you are correct Warriorpride, in the Beacon article, 4 other sites are mentioned. I shouldn't post so early in the morning - I deleted my post b/c I kepy screwing it up. Any way, my point was indeed that the Beacon article says that there are 4 OTHER sites - maybe there ARE 4 other sites, since I don't know what there is to negociate with BB or maybe the newpaper has in wrong again - what are the odds? Maybe we should take a poll. |
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Post by wvhsparent on Oct 17, 2007 6:30:00 GMT -6
Always keep in mind, the Naperville Sun or the Beacon is not where great journalists end up as a final career choice. Both papers are part of the Sun Times News Group, and share reporters etc. |
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Post by Arch on Oct 17, 2007 6:33:24 GMT -6
Always keep in mind, the Naperville Sun or the Beacon is not where great journalists end up as a final career choice. Both papers are part of the Sun Times News Group, and share reporters etc. That explains the consistent lack-of at both. |
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Post by lacy on Oct 17, 2007 7:33:24 GMT -6
From the DH article:
"All four of the options we're still considering and now beginning negotiations on are all capable of allowing us to remain within budget parameters that we committed to Oct. 1," Metzger said.
Does anyone have the details on what these budget parameters are? Are they published somewhere?
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Post by bob on Oct 17, 2007 7:53:57 GMT -6
From the DH article: "All four of the options we're still considering and now beginning negotiations on are all capable of allowing us to remain within budget parameters that we committed to Oct. 1," Metzger said. Does anyone have the details on what these budget parameters are? Are they published somewhere? It is in the referendum we passed. |
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Post by lacy on Oct 17, 2007 8:00:46 GMT -6
From the DH article: "All four of the options we're still considering and now beginning negotiations on are all capable of allowing us to remain within budget parameters that we committed to Oct. 1," Metzger said. Does anyone have the details on what these budget parameters are? Are they published somewhere? It is in the referendum we passed. It specifically states something they committed to on October 1. Do you know specifically what that is - or does anyone else? The referendum was not passed on October 1. |
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Post by Arch on Oct 17, 2007 8:03:37 GMT -6
It is in the referendum we passed. It specifically states something they committed to on October 1. Do you know specifically what that is - or does anyone else? The referendum was not passed on October 1. That's probably privy information during the negotiation phase. One does not play poker by laying their cards down, then negotiating with the other players. |
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Post by lacy on Oct 17, 2007 8:10:32 GMT -6
It says budget parameters. I think the budget is public information. Just wondering what he meant by that. Has the budget changed in some way beyond what is available to the public? What have they committed to?
If you don't know the answer that's fine - but don't downplay the question or try to sweep it under the rug.
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