Wheaton ready to take over county museum

A deal for the Wheaton Park District's takeover of the DuPage County Historical Museum may be inked before the end of the month.

Park staff are just awaiting a vote by the DuPage County Board, which is expected to occur before May 21. That's the next time Wheaton park commissioners meet..

"We're ready to roll," said Wheaton Park District Executive Director Mike Benard when asked about the status of the deal.

The timing fits in well with the Wheaton City Council's recent decision to hire a consultant to guide the redevelopment of the Hubble Middle School property. That land sits directly across Main Street from the Wheaton Park District's main offices.

A park district move into the museum may result in the park district including its current headquarters site in the Hubble redevelopment site. Most of the land the headquarters sits on has flooding problems. However, the park district would see some profit by selling the site if it chose to do so.

The district is currently contemplating ways to raise money to replace the roof at the community center. That project has an estimate price tag of $1 million.

Park commissioners are set to have new leadership as these big changes occur.

A subcommittee of the park board nominated Commissioner Phil Luetkehans to become the new president of the board.

Commissioner Ray Morrill would become the board's vice president. The two men will take on their new roles at the next park board meeting on May 21.

Both Luetkehans and Morrill just completed their first full year of service on the park board.