Can Glen Ellyn, COD work it out?

Glen Ellyn Village President Mark Pfefferman says he’s still optimistic the village and College of DuPage can resolve their dispute related to who has jurisdiction over the 273-acre campus.

“We take this very seriously and think two great institutions can come to an agreement,” Pfefferman said in an interview Monday following his State of the Village address.

But he didn’t directly respond to statements made last week by COD President Robert Breuder, who insisted that the village board approve the same version of the agreement approved Thursday by COD trustees.

“I prefer to negotiate with him, than through the press,” Pfefferman said.

The draft approved by the COD board doesn’t include language that village officials have said would allow health and safety ordinances to be enforced. Breuder said the agreement the college board considered was agreed upon by both the college and village negotiating teams. But village attorneys have said such language regarding “quasi-criminal” regulations was included in the most recent version of the agreement sent to the college.

On Friday, Breuder sent Pfefferman an email that said the college would pursue de-annexation from the village if the same version wasn’t approved.

Pfefferman, who served six years on the college’s school board in the 1980s, said that would be a “lose-lose” for both sides.

He said the village wants to get the issue resolved, but wouldn’t “get it done for getting it done’s sake.”

The village board will discuss the matter during a village board meeting next Monday, and could take action on the agreement.