'Replace, repair and modernize': Those are Fenton's hopes with a $99 million referendum

For the first time in nearly 50 years, a building referendum is appearing on the ballot for the Fenton High School District 100 community.

Next week voters will decide whether to vote "yes" or "no" on a $99 million project to transform nearly every corner of the Bensenville campus, where the school was built in 1955.

Starting with a facilities audit in 2019, school officials for the last three years campaigned to inform Bensenville and Wood Dale residents about the need for Fenton to undergo its first major update since a 1975 referendum resulted in the auditorium, a two-story classroom wing, the field house and the career and technical education classrooms.

According to officials, the $99 million equates to an extra $288.90 per year in property taxes for the owner of a home valued at $229,000, which is the average value in District 100. None of the money will fund salaries or benefits.

"This will provide us with a 21st-century learning space that a lot of schools have already," said District 100 Superintendent James Ongtengco. "We want to make sure our kids are competitive not only curricularly but in extra curriculars."

Safety upgrades, improved programming and learning spaces, and modernized and expanded classrooms are only the start of the plan. Flooding issues in the building and throughout the surrounding campus would be alleviated, air flow improved and mechanical systems replaced.

In addition to academics, there would be upgrades for the athletics, music and performing arts programs. The building would be brought up to ADA compliance standards and asbestos risks would be mitigated.

Officials initially planned to seek $129.7 million, but feedback indicated the price tag was too high. Instead, after cost reductions, the ask is for $99 million with an additional $10 million coming from cash reserves.

School officials conducted 11 in-person forums, two phone surveys and three online surveys to reach 1,000 respondents who helped form the final plan.

"With a 1950s building, it's just been too much to keep up with," Ongtengco said. "Our building is open from 5 a.m. to almost 10 p.m., and we open our doors to the community as well. It takes a toll."

Ongtengco said it will take about three years to complete all the planned projects, and another building referendum likely won't be necessary for another 25 to 30 years.

While recognizing $99 million is a large amount of money, Ongtengco said it's cheaper than building a new school on the existing campus at an estimated cost of $200 million.

"It's time," he said. "Every year we prolong this, it becomes more expensive. Not just to maintain, but to replace, repair and modernize."