Hawthorn District 73 hopefuls discuss upcoming referendum
Candidates for the Hawthorn Elementary District 73 school board say they would regroup and try again if voters reject a $42 million request to fund building renovations and expansions.
Some think the current version is not the best choice, but all agree space concerns in the six buildings need to be addressed.
Six candidates are running for three 4-year seats. Louis E. Gatta, general manager of Niles Central High School, is seeking a second term as the only incumbent running.
He is joined on the ballot by five newcomers: Sol Bahng, who works in supply chain management; Matt Jacobs, a quality assurance analyst; Joseph L. Kain, a financial controller; Wesley Ann Polen, chief operation officer for a government relations consulting firm; and, Julie Simpson, a stay-at-home mom.
Bhang said he has no issue with board decisions but wants to contribute by making the schools the best they can be for all, including gifted students, those with special needs and English language learners.
He said he supports the referendum question. Some may be skeptical of student growth projections, he added, but "it's the best information we have" and doing nothing is riskier.
Should it fail, he said, the district needs to determine the reasons and find an acceptable alternate.
"I think it's necessary. It's going to be unavoidable in my opinion," he said.
Gatta said he wants to ensure the curriculum is rigorous and the district continues to attract quality teachers. He noted a planned kindergarten center is not part of the referendum.
"I wished we would have acted quicker. I certainly was vocal about that the last year and a half," he said. That facility eventually will free space in other schools, he added, but a long-term solution is needed.
People are aware of the space crunch, Gatta said, but another try is needed if the referendum fails.
"We will basically learn whatever we learn from the constituents, and maybe how close it was, and gather information on why it didn't pass and certainly promote for the next time we can ask the question," he said.
Jacobs said the options presented to the board by the committee charged with recommending a master plan for facilities were adequate.
"Three or four months ago, I would say you guys wouldn't have a chance of getting the referendum passed. But, of the two options, I thought they (board) picked the better one, especially since they made some major changes to it by including the STEM on each campus," he said recently.
"If it doesn't pass, we're going to have to go back to the drawing board," he added.
Kain was a member of the group that recommended two building options to the school board. A hybrid without a new school was fashioned. Kain said the plan was more conservative but addressed all concerns.
"If it doesn't pass the issue is the same," he said, adding quick action would be needed.
"We would have to go back through all of that work and see if there is a short-term solution to address some of the challenges while we crafted another plan to go back to the voters and hopefully get their support."
Polen contended the facilities planning process wasn't open and suggested a different structure if the referendum fails.
"I understand that our schools are overcrowded, we're at capacity. There's no denying that and something must be done, but unfortunately the plan that was chosen, I don't believe was the right plan. It landlocks the buildings," she said.
Polen said she would have supported a higher cost plan that included a new school, and at some point the district will have to go back to voters.
Simpson said less expensive alternatives should have been explored.
"I think if the referendum doesn't pass, we have to go back to the drawing board and come up with something that the community will support, maybe that's a little bit cheaper," she said.
She was concerned about the district using reserve funds to build a kindergarten center that can't be expanded.
"So if the referendum doesn't pass, we're kind of stuck without having any money to alleviate crowding in middle schools and other areas," she said.