District 46 not ready to pay $1.1 million tab
Grayslake elementary school system officials need more time to decide how they'll pay $1.1 million toward Special Education District of Lake County's $26.5 million building project.
SEDOL's 36-member school districts must share the cost of the construction tab. SEDOL, which cited growing enrollment for the project, recently presented the school districts with payment options.
About 550 students with learning disabilities are educated at SEDOL's Gages Lake campus just south of Gurnee. Another 800 children are served by the agency at Lake County public schools.
Grayslake Elementary District 46 Superintendent Ellen Correll said at a meeting last week SEDOL had wanted an answer by Aug. 1 on how her district's $1.1 million share would be paid.
One option for District 46 is to take out a loan with interest charges and pay the money to SEDOL in 20 or fewer years. The district may pay the bill in a lump sum.
District 46 board members were not ready to commit to SEDOL when they gathered Monday. Correll said she plans to get back to board members after researching the projected total amounts District 46 would pay SEDOL, and what individual fund categories may be used.
Board President Michael Linder said he'd rather avoid paying the $1.1 million over several years.
"We've got enough long-term debt to choke a horse," Linder said.
Elected boards from District 46, Lake Zurich Unit District 95, Mundelein High School District 120 and Antioch-Lake Villa Area High School District 117 were among those that formally voted against paying toward SEDOL's project.
However, a majority of its member districts voted in favor in May. That vote obligated all 36 of the school systems to pay toward the $26.5 million construction.
At the centerpiece of the project is an $18 million, 65,000-square-foot classroom building for children with severe and profound mental and physical disabilities or the medically fragile. Another $8.5 million will fund renovations of existing facilities.
Construction tabs range from $4.1 million for Stevenson High School District 125 in Lincolnshire to $127,180 for Grass Lake Elementary District 36 near Antioch.