Bargain justifies Bartlett request

The Bartlett Park District has hamstrung voters by collecting three referendum proposals for Nov. 2 into an all-or-nothing package, one of whose elements is too good to pass up, however sour the taste it all leaves. The centerpiece of the proposal the $5.85 million purchase of Villa Olivia is a bargain the village may not see again.

Another $6.15 million included in the request to renovate Villa Olivia may also be justified, though under normal circumstances we would recommend the community wait on the final third another $6 million to expand the Bartlett Aquatic Center. Unfortunately, that's not an option here, so the key question must focus on the value of Villa Olivia, which is unquestioned.

The 138 acres that make up the country club, golf course and ski hill are iconic in Bartlett, and have been part of the landscape here for nearly a century. In public hands, the land will stay open a plus in an increasingly congested part of suburbia.

The park district expects the operation to generate $200,000 a year, more than enough to pay for itself operationally, and has negotiated a price that may not be available if the issue is put off until the spring. The aquatic center project has merit Bartlett's population has more than doubled since the BAC was built in 1992, and respondents to a 2007 park district survey classed expanding it as a top priority. But it could have waited until the economy improves.

Still, with a median age in Bartlett of 35, these projects are designed for the young families who represent the village's future. On balance, $35 to $50 a year expected to be added to tax bills for 20 years is a reasonable investment in their future. We recommend a YES vote.