Libertyville OK with forest district offices, museum in ex-Moto building

Consolidating Lake County Forest Preserve District offices and relocating the Discovery Museum to a vacant building in a business park has the informal blessing of the Libertyville village board.

"It seemed like everyone was in favor of it," Mayor Terry Weppler said.

A vote on four ordinances to officially allow for the switch to the building formerly occupied by Motorola at Winchester Road and Technology Way was deferred Tuesday on a technicality, but is expected in two weeks.

Village leaders agree the influx of employees and visitors to the museum to an extent would offset the loss of property taxes when the building becomes government owned and tax exempt.

But an entertainment tax on museum visitors may be established to make up the difference.

Trustee Richard Moras said the tax loss is a concern, especially during a brutal economic time for the village, but added it would be worth the trade off.

"It definitely serves the village better than keeping it as an empty building at this time," Moras said.

The property has been vacant for more than two years. The most recent bill showed nearly $235,000 in property taxes were paid.

Of that total, the village received about $18,000 for general purposes and its pension fund. The largest property tax recipient is Libertyville Elementary District 70 at about $95,000 for the same purposes.

While the presence of about 115 employees and visitors will help, it will not completely offset the loss of property taxes.

Weppler raised the possibility of instituting a 25-cent entertainment tax on museum visitors. Whether that will happen or in what amount is pending future discussion by the village board.

In late January, the forest district announced its intent to buy the vacant building for $4.1 million. That was thought to be considerably less expensive than renovating existing facilities or building a new one.

Staffers from eight scattered sites would move to the Libertyville location. Eventually, the Discovery Museum, now housed in Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda, would follow.

The district for years has been saving money for such a consolidation. The museum move would be financed with private funds.

"We need a three-year guarantee now that we can move the museum later," forest district President Bonnie Thomson Carter told village trustees.

The district is seeking a special use permit. Those permits expire in a year if no work has occurred but can be extended two years by the village administrator, a technicality that needs to be included in the ordinances.

"Moving a museum is an incredibly complicated and tedious process so I would advise we be flexible on that issue," Trustee Nick Proepper said.