District 204 still in negotiations over land

[gatormom]

District 204 still in negotiations over land
Board still eyeing 3 Brach-Brodie alternatives

November 2, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff writer

Discussions continued in executive session Thursday about potential sites for Metea Valley High School.

The Indian Prairie School District 204 school board held a special meeting Thursday and met in executive session for more than two hours.

The board later came back into open session and adjourned. Board President Mark Metzger said they continued to make progress, but did not comment further. The next regular board meeting is Nov. 12 and as of Thursday no more special meetings were scheduled.

The board has been discussing three potential sites for Metea Valley. Board members have directed staff to negotiate with three landowners and keep the board informed of any progress. The board has not released any details on any of the three sites.
In the meantime, the board is still in a court battle over the Brach-Brodie property. The district filed a condemnation lawsuit for 55 acres of the parcel, along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora. However, a jury determined the land would cost $28.5 million.

Attorneys for the school district filed a post-trial motion asking for a new trial in the condemnation case. However, board members have said the price is simply too high and the district cannot afford to purchase the land and build a high school with all the amenities such as sports facilities.

The board has hoped to open the new school in 2009 with freshmen and sophomores. Although school board president Mark Metzger said that scenario is still possible, the clock is ticking and thecost of everything from materials to labor is only increasing.

ON THE WEB
A majority of voters who responded to an online poll at the Naperville Sun's Web site say they didn't think Indian Prairie School District 204 needed to build a third high school.

The unscientific poll, which asked the question "Does District 204 really need a third high school?" ran from Oct. 26 through Wednesday at napersun.com.

Of the 287 who responded, 58 percent voted no and 41 percent voted yes.

[slp]

I thought there was a vote in 2006 for a 3rd high school where individuals actually entered polling places. Is the Sun claiming that their Poll is more realistic than an ACTUAL election?

[gatormom]

slp said:

I thought there was a vote in 2006 for a 3rd high school where individuals actually entered polling places. Is the Sun claiming that their Poll is more realistic than an ACTUAL election?

These polls are such a joke. The Sun asks ALL of Naperville their opinion, 203 and 204, and never bothers to ask Aurora. Very pompous, very unscientific. Besides, the actions of the SB have made it quite clear, MV will be built . . . somewhere.

[blankcheck]

Why all these closed door sessions? What about public comment? Oh yea - I forgot. They put that on the agenda until after their closed door meeting. So the next meeting is in two weeks? As WVHS said TICK TOCK!

slp- Did you ever think that with all the new information out there, people are actually re-thinking their vote?

[blankcheck]

Anyone can go on the Naperville Sun web site to vote - even those who live in Aurora, Plainfield & Bollingbrook.

[Arch]

blankcheck said:

Anyone can go on the Naperville Sun web site to vote - even those who live in Aurora, Plainfield & Bollingbrook.

Even those that live in Lisle, Downer's Grove, Arlington Heights and Tokyo.

[lacy]

blankcheck said:

Why all these closed door sessions? What about public comment? Oh yea - I forgot. They put that on the agenda until after their closed door meeting. So the next meeting is in two weeks? As WVHS said TICK TOCK!

slp- Did you ever think that with all the new information out there, people are actually re-thinking their vote?

I think there is a growing chorus of people who are re-thinking their vote. And unfortunately, the SB's actions as well as new information are the cause of it.

[gatormom]

lacy said:

blankcheck said:

Why all these closed door sessions? What about public comment? Oh yea - I forgot. They put that on the agenda until after their closed door meeting. So the next meeting is in two weeks? As WVHS said TICK TOCK!

slp- Did you ever think that with all the new information out there, people are actually re-thinking their vote?

I think there is a growing chorus of people who are re-thinking their vote. And unfortunately, the SB's actions as well as new information are the cause of it.

I am not hearing the same chorus. I hear some expressing frustration with the process but most people are concerned that MV will not be built or where it will be built and how that impacts the boundaries. I just have not heard those who support the school change their tune.

On the other hand, those I know who have been against MV since day 1 are still against it.

[momof3]

slp said:

I thought there was a vote in 2006 for a 3rd high school where individuals actually entered polling places. Is the Sun claiming that their Poll is more realistic than an ACTUAL election?

Unlike an actual election, it is easy to vote multiple times on an unscientific poll like the Sun's.

[bob]

blankcheck said:

Why all these closed door sessions? What about public comment? Oh yea - I forgot. They put that on the agenda until after their closed door meeting. So the next meeting is in two weeks? As WVHS said TICK TOCK!

slp- Did you ever think that with all the new information out there, people are actually re-thinking their vote?

Did you negotiate to buy your house in a public forum?

[proschool]

bob said:

blankcheck said:

Why all these closed door sessions? What about public comment? Oh yea - I forgot. They put that on the agenda until after their closed door meeting. So the next meeting is in two weeks? As WVHS said TICK TOCK!

slp- Did you ever think that with all the new information out there, people are actually re-thinking their vote?

Did you negotiate to buy your house in a public forum?

Only when I'm comitted to seeing the process fail.

[wvhsparent]

lacy said:

blankcheck said:

Why all these closed door sessions? What about public comment? Oh yea - I forgot. They put that on the agenda until after their closed door meeting. So the next meeting is in two weeks? As WVHS said TICK TOCK!

slp- Did you ever think that with all the new information out there, people are actually re-thinking their vote?

I think there is a growing chorus of people who are re-thinking their vote. And unfortunately, the SB's actions as well as new information are the cause of it.

Maybe so, but it's too late now. One cannot go back and ask for a do-over on the ref vote.

[Arch]

wvhsparent said:

lacy said:

I think there is a growing chorus of people who are re-thinking their vote. And unfortunately, the SB's actions as well as new information are the cause of it.

Maybe so, but it's too late now. One cannot go back and ask for a do-over on the ref vote.

It's called 'The Morning After' ballot.

[EagleDad]

archwinsome said:

blankcheck said:

Anyone can go on the Naperville Sun web site to vote - even those who live in Aurora, Plainfield & Bollingbrook.

Even those that live in Lisle, Downer's Grove, Arlington Heights and Tokyo.

And you can vote 2, 3 hundred times (just clear the cookie between votes)

Vote early, vote often!

[proschool]

archwinsome said:

wvhsparent said:

Maybe so, but it's too late now. One cannot go back and ask for a do-over on the ref vote.

It's called 'The Morning After' ballot.

The editors of the Sun already said that a third high is necessary.

Maybe it's just the newspaper is doing a poor job of informing its readers.