Grafton Township may cancel loan for building

Grafton Township's warring supervisor and trustees may have finally found a point of agreement.

The township board is set to vote Monday on whether to cancel the bank loan that was supposed to fund a new $3.5 million township hall in Lake in the Hills.

The township has not been able to break ground on the project because opponents of the building have obtained court orders blocking the construction. Supporters of the building have appealed those decisions.

Although all four township trustees support the building plans, they may join recently elected Supervisor Linda Moore, who opposes a new building, in canceling the bank loan.

Township officials said Harris Bank has offered to let the township out of its loan agreement if the township returns the $3.5 million and pays an estimated $141,600 in interest.

Both sides of the township hall dispute said Thursday they supported the move, which would allow the township to stop incurring interest payments while the litigation over the building is pending.

"This is a very smart business move in order to generate some (savings) for the taxpayers," said Trustee Rob LaPorta, who supports the building plans.

LaPorta stressed, however, that his support for canceling the loan did not mean he or his fellow trustees were giving up the fight to build a new township hall.

"We're going to continue - on the litigation for the building," LaPorta said.

Moore said she, too, would vote to cancel the loan.

"I think it is a very positive thing for Grafton Township," Moore said, declining to comment further.

Harris Bank could not be reached for comment late Thursday.