Metea foes gather, rally

What could you do with $204? For some, it's a car payment. For others it's a pair of good seats to a sports event.

But an organized group of Indian Prairie Unit District 204 community members said they hope thousands of their neighbors are willing to spend at least that amount to fight the district's recent decision to purchase the proposed Eola Road site of the new Metea Valley High School and the recently drawn corresponding boundaries.

Approximately 150 community members and parents packed the White Eagle Golf Club clubhouse Tuesday night for a meeting of the group calling themselves the Neighborhood Schools for our Children, where they were introduced to environmental attorney Shawn Collins.

Collins spoke to the packed room for more than two hours at no charge. But for an undisclosed price, he promised he would "drink as much coffee as necessary" to prepare documentation for the group to file a lawsuit aimed at halting the district's purpose for the land.

Tall Grass resident and group member Todd Andrews said they want the district's board members to "slow down, do their due diligence and protect the community." He said several members of the organization believe they were victims of a "bait and switch routine" when they approved the district's March 2006 tax increase request to build a new high school.

A number of people speaking out Tuesday said they voted in favor of the increase under the belief that it would be built on the 80-acre Brach-Brodie property at 75th Street and Commons Drive in Aurora.

But landowners and school leaders were unable to agree on a price and district pursued condemnation. A jury then decided the site was worth $31 million, $17 million more than the district planned.

Within approximately a week's time the district then began pursuing the 87-acre Eola Road site south of Diehl Road. During the referendum drive, however, parents said they were told the Eola site could not be built on because of potential environmental and electromagnetic radiation concerns.

"We just want the board to slow down, spend more time making sure the Eola Road site is safe, do their homework because we were promised our money was going to be spent to build on the Brach-Brodie property," Andrews said. "The lack of due diligence is ridiculous."

He then said if 1,000 people donated $204, the group could afford Collins, who told the group he believes they have a "worthy but tough" case and one he's willing to take on, asking a judge to halt the district's purchase and potentially forcing it to buy the Brach-Brodie site like so many parents say they were promised.

"It's nowhere near a slam-dunk case," Collins warned. "But if we're going to move forward we need to do that very soon. I need to know that you want this and that your neighbors all want this, too."

A majority of residents then began a check-writing frenzy, tossing their checks into prepared envelopes and into a waiting donation box.

"It's a good investment if we can get the Brach-Brodie school we voted for," said parent Kamir Shah. "The $204 is actually a small price to pay if it works."

Andrews declined to say how much money was raised for fear or tipping off the district to the group's litigious intent but said they had received a "wonderful start" toward retaining Collins.

"We're not quite there," he said. "It's a wonderful start, and I'm incredibly impressed by everyone's generosity, but it's only start. Now we need everyone here to get five or 10 friends and family to donate."

None of the district's board members were there and President Mark Metzger declined to comment about the group's meeting and proposed litigation.

For more information on the Neighborhood Schools for our Children grass-roots initiative visit www.nsfoc.org.