DuPage tech board asks to be dissolved

Following weeks of political infighting over the future of the nearly vacant DuPage National Technology Park, members of the park's oversight board are asking that the group be dissolved.

"As a result of the unfortunate barrage of misstatements and false allegations contained in the press recently regarding the ineffectiveness of the DuPage National Technology Park board, it is now fundamentally clear to those of us serving ... that the board cannot possibly assist DuPage County or the DuPage Airport Authority in further developing the near-vacant park," wrote seven of the 10 sitting tech park board members to the board's chairman, Peter Huizenga.

Those members wrote Monday that they "gained a clear understanding of the systemic and structural roadblocks preventing the successful development of the tech park" while creating a strategic plan for the group. They complained that their attempts to engage in the development process were rebuffed by the airport board, which has ultimate say in the park's progress. That left the tech park board with "absolutely no standing in the existing tech park contract, oversight or business operations."

The tech park sits on 800 acres owned by the DuPage Airport Authority. The dissolution request comes amid a battle between the airport authority and county board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom over future use of the property. Airport board members want development regulations relaxed to spur more interest in the land.

But Schillerstrom - who appoints the aiport board members - contends there's no need to loosen restrictions because a third of the developable land is available for most industrial and commercial uses. He said that land hasn't been developed because the airport board is asking too high a price for it and the remaining acreage restricted for technology use.

State Rep. Mike Fortner, also a tech park board member, issued a statement last week calling for the board to be dissolved as well. Fortner said the board could "no longer be productive." Other tech park board members said Fortner didn't sign Monday's letter to Huizenga because he didn't agree with some of the language. Huizenga, who is also an airport board member, recently called for the tech park board's dissolution. The only tech park board member who hasn't spoken publicly about the board's future is the board's Fermilab representative Bob Kephart. An eleventh seat is vacant.

"By disbanding the tech park board, DuPage County may now move forward and develop this site as a general business park to create jobs and boost the local economy," airport board Chairman Dan Goodwin said.

If the tech park board is disbanded, that would likely spell the end of Jack Tenison's tenure as the tech park's director. Tenison recently came under fire from airport board members who sought to have his office's budget eliminated.

Airport board members also released information about Tenison's work record during a three-month period from early November 2009 through late January 2010. Airport officials said security records indicate Tenison only showed up to his airport office 10 of the days between Nov. 11 and Jan. 27.

"And there are times when he was there that he wasn't there for a full work day," Gerry Gorski, an airport board member, said.

Gorski said Tenison's job can be done by current airport staff.

The 60-year-old Tenison, who draws a salary of more than $150,000 a year for the job he's held since 2002, said he's being made a patsy for the tech park's failures by the airport board, which is the final decision-maker on tech park deals.

Tenison disputes the airport board's record-keeping, saying that of the 56 work days in the time period he was being monitored, six were holidays, 19 were vacation days taken for the holidays and to be with a dying aunt, 13 days were worked from home, four days were spent at an approved seminar. The remaining 14 days were spent at his airport office. As for the discrepancy between the airport's security records and his own, Tenison said the airport's records are based on use of an underground parking pass. Sometimes he used another car and parked in an unsecured lot, he said.

Tenison said he was surprised by the attack on his job performance since he claims he's never been told he was doing anything wrong nor has he ever had a performance review.

"I'm made to look like some political hack here and that we haven't done many things successfully," Tenison said. "Obviously it would make things work smoother if we had a willing partner in the aiport board."