Post by gatormom on Dec 11, 2007 5:14:02 GMT -6
D204 board stuck waiting on talks with land owners
Costs rising as Metea Valley work stalls
December 11, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff writer
The days are ticking by and there have been no new public developments in the location of the third high school.
School board members have met in executive session several times in the past three months to discuss negotiations with three land owners for potential sites for Metea Valley High School. They are still in a waiting game with the land owners, said Mark Metzger, board president.
"It is not productive to have a discussion if we don't have information and we are not in control of when we get that information," Metzger said.
The school board is expected to hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 20 to discuss land at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora, Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said.
Metea Valley High School was slated to open in 2009, but the more days that pass, the less likely that is. Metzger said in November some of the sites the board is considering could still make that happen.
The board has declined to name the sites publicly except that Brach-Brodie is one of the four parcels.
Metzger is hopeful the next round of information will enable the board to further compare the sites. He said if the information does not come through next week, they will likely cancel the special meeting.
David Holm, assistant superintendent of business and finance, has said the more time passes, the more costs for everything from materials to labor increases.
The school district could still purchase 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie property, along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora. However, a DuPage County jury determined the land will cost the district $518,000 an acre for a total price of $31 million.
Metzger has said the district was anticipating the land at half that price and cannot pay the $31 million and still build a comprehensive high school. Instead, the district filed a post trial motion in DuPage County for a new condemnation trial. Both sides return to court in January.
Taxpayers approved a $124.7 million referendum in 2006 to fund the purchase of the land and construction of the 3,000-seat high school. Metzger said the actual cost of a high school building could now reach $140 million to make it comparable to Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley high schools. A cheaper price means cutting out items such as the pool or athletic stadiums, which board members don't want to do.
Before the 2006 election, board members set the boundaries for the new high school, and a new site could mean new boundaries.
Costs rising as Metea Valley work stalls
December 11, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff writer
The days are ticking by and there have been no new public developments in the location of the third high school.
School board members have met in executive session several times in the past three months to discuss negotiations with three land owners for potential sites for Metea Valley High School. They are still in a waiting game with the land owners, said Mark Metzger, board president.
"It is not productive to have a discussion if we don't have information and we are not in control of when we get that information," Metzger said.
The school board is expected to hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Dec. 20 to discuss land at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora, Superintendent Stephen Daeschner said.
Metea Valley High School was slated to open in 2009, but the more days that pass, the less likely that is. Metzger said in November some of the sites the board is considering could still make that happen.
The board has declined to name the sites publicly except that Brach-Brodie is one of the four parcels.
Metzger is hopeful the next round of information will enable the board to further compare the sites. He said if the information does not come through next week, they will likely cancel the special meeting.
David Holm, assistant superintendent of business and finance, has said the more time passes, the more costs for everything from materials to labor increases.
The school district could still purchase 55 acres of the Brach-Brodie property, along 75th Street and the future extension of Commons Drive in Aurora. However, a DuPage County jury determined the land will cost the district $518,000 an acre for a total price of $31 million.
Metzger has said the district was anticipating the land at half that price and cannot pay the $31 million and still build a comprehensive high school. Instead, the district filed a post trial motion in DuPage County for a new condemnation trial. Both sides return to court in January.
Taxpayers approved a $124.7 million referendum in 2006 to fund the purchase of the land and construction of the 3,000-seat high school. Metzger said the actual cost of a high school building could now reach $140 million to make it comparable to Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley high schools. A cheaper price means cutting out items such as the pool or athletic stadiums, which board members don't want to do.
Before the 2006 election, board members set the boundaries for the new high school, and a new site could mean new boundaries.
