Dist. 220 to buy 33 acres near Barrington High

Barrington Area Unit School District 220 entered into a contract this week to acquire more than 33 acres across Hart Road from Barrington High School for $2.35 million.

The district has 60 days to inspect the site before any money changes hands.

It includes about 20.8 acres of vacant usable land and 13.8 acres of the Flint Creek Conservation Area west of Hart Road.

The board had been negotiating the deal in closed session with the landowner, Tom Wamberg, for months, school board President Brian Battle said.

He said the district does not have a plan in place for how to use the land, but it is always interested in acquiring property contiguous to its campuses.

The deal comes less than a year after Wamberg donated about 11 undeveloped acres immediately north of the 33-acre site. At the time, he told the Daily Herald that he and his wife, former District 220 board member Dede Wamberg, knew the property was needed and they were delighted it would eventually be put to good use by the district.

Wamberg could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The board approved the contract by a 6-1 vote Tuesday. Board member Richard Burkhart cast the lone vote against the deal, saying the purchase is irresponsible because money is tight and it's unknown if the land will ever be used.

"To add an additional 33 acres is like going to the shopping center and getting another 33 pairs of shoes just on the off-chance that you might need those in the future," Burkhart said.

Bob Webb, of the Barrington Enlightened Taxpayers Association, said he has not heard anyone in the district previously discussing a need for more land, and he hoped the board would be able to justify the expense.

"Such (real estate) needs did not appear in the budget approved last month, and that budget was characterized as challenging and tight," Webb said.

Superintendent Brian Harris said the board has not had a conversation about what they can do with the nearly 45 acres that has been gifted or purchased from Wamberg in the last year.

"If we acquired this property that would be the next step," Harris said. "We would have the conversation with staff and the community about what the possibilities are for the entire high school campus."