Voters to decide fate of new $25 million Villa Park library

Villa Park voters will decide in November whether they want to pay $24.9 million for a new public library.

The village board voted 5-1 this week to allow the library board to ask voters for permission to borrow money for a new 48,000-square-foot facility that would be built south of the existing building at Central Boulevard and Ardmore Avenue.

The board also signed off on the measure allowing the library to also seek an operating tax rate increase of 8 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value.

Trustees had to vote to authorize the ballot questions because the library operates under the village's umbrella and any loans would affect the municipality's borrowing power.

The village board made its decision after hearing from residents on both sides of the issue.

"(The existing library is) a fine building but it's outdated. It's too small," resident John Dutko said. "It's time we improve on what we have. Going to a library, you probably can save a lot of money, borrowing books, movies, magazines..."

Jerry Bernat disagreed, saying he believed remodeling is a better option. "Our library is adequate," he said.

Resident Joey DeTomaso urged trustees to re-examine the issue.

"Pause and let's look at our options," DeTomaso said. "We have roads that people can't drive down without chattering their teeth. Twenty-five million dollars is a lot of money. It's going to limit what we can do."

The building bond request - to be repaid over 20 years - would cost roughly an additional $172 per year for the owners of a $250,000 home, library officials say. The operating tax rate increase would add about $63 annually to the property tax bill of the same house.

The additional space would remedy shortfalls in the existing library's space for programs, books, a meeting room, quiet study areas, parking and more, officials said.