The two sides to Batavia rec center
Mailers, robocalls, mystery campaign finances ... there's always something to check on every day as Tuesday's Batavia Park District referendum on building a $20 million recreation center draws near.
‘True or False?'
The park district has sent a brochure called “True or False” to all 13,000 district households, defending its contention that building a recreation center will not increase property taxes.
The mailing cost $3,072.65 $1,536.65 for printing, $1,536 for postage.
The district has held community meetings to discuss the referendum, but “We realize we have not reached all 13,000 households,” park board President Patrick Callahan said in an e-mail statement.
“We are the source, along with the City of Batavia, to answer the questions in an accountable and transparent way. There has been some misinformation being mailed to people. I'm told an out of town source has spent over $26,000 on mailing untrue information without any disclosure as to who they are.
“To eliminate any confusion, we wanted to send a piece that was unmistakably from the Batavia Park District. We believe that in fulfilling our obligation to provide education and information to every household that this mailing is the most efficient and cost effective way to do so.”
Meanwhile, opponents contend taxes will go up, and that the district won't have enough borrowing power to accomplish other tasks and capital purchases while it pays off the recreation center.
Park officials say if property values stay the same and no new debt is taken on, the tax rate would drop to 35.7 cents per $100 of assessed value in December 2017, when the current debt is paid off. The district's plan is to borrow the $20 million by the end of this year, then begin paying it off in 2011 as it retires parts of current debt. It estimates borrowing the $20 million (and paying $11 million in interest on it) would stretch the district's debt obligations another 20 to 25 years.
Cost to use
Just because it would be a public facility doesn't mean people wouldn't have to pay to use the fitness center.
Park officials say nobody would be charged an initiation fee. Memberships would be charged by the month, and fees would be determined based on what center amenities a person would want to use: Just the fitness center, gymnasium or pool, a combination of the pool and fitness center, or all three.
Proposed costs for an all-inclusive pass range from $40 a month for an individual to $110 a month for a family pass. A senior all-inclusive pass would be $34 a month.
In comparison, Vaughn Athletic Center in Aurora (operated by the Fox Valley Park District) charges $49 a month for an all-inclusive individual pass, $82 a month for a family pass (for three people; additional people are an additional $6) and $36 a month for senior citizens. The all-inclusive pass includes its fitness center, aquatics center and tennis courts.
Batavia park officials say people would be able to use the indoor track for free. And day passes for the fitness center and pool would be available.
Batavians Against Debt
Most people are left to wonder why a Peoria lawyer is interested in a Batavia referendum.
Jack Teplitz, the chairman and treasurer of Batavians Against Debt, has not returned repeated calls and e-mails requesting comment about the committee, including a $32,755 donation from a group called Black Heron. State business registration records indicate Teplitz is the agent for Black Heron.
Government records and articles in newspapers and business journals indicate the following about Teplitz:
He became a lawyer in 1969, and was a certified public accountant from 1967 to 1986.
He was the city attorney for Peoria in the early 1970s.
In the 1990s, he tried to develop malls in Tunica, Miss.; Eureka, Mo.; and Morris, Ill.
And finally ...
If voters approve the rec center borrowing Tuesday, there's still a ways to go before anybody dips a toe in the pool. The park board would have to finalize the designs for its part of the project, and Batavia's plan commission, city services committee and city council would have to examine and vote on plans for the whole project. There would be contracts to be voted on regarding using city money to pay for part of a parking garage that would be part of the project. intergovernmental agreements governing the parking garage, soil borings to be taken and real estate deals to be worked out with the owner of the McDonald's restaurant involved in a land swap that would be necessary to provide space for the rec center to be built.