How board plans to spend bond money

Previously, I highlighted the costly implications of the $200 million bonds approved by Mundelein High School District 120 voters last November. Now, I’d like to provide examples of how they plan to spend our money.

The largest expense is the field house: $26 million for a 56,000-square-foot warehouse. If you glance over the renderings, you’ll note that it consists of nothing more than six basketball courts and a six-lane, 400-meter track. No mezzanine, no practice mats for wrestling and no place for gymnastics equipment.

Nope, the field house will have no extra amenities for sports other than basketball and track. That’s because the wrestlers will get a private gym ($2 million), the gymnasts will get their own gym ($2 million) and another private room for weight training and cardio ($5 million). If the district was serious about the future of their cramped campus, all of these private arenas should be included in the field house to make way for classroom expansion.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the $9 million gymnasium complete with a $200,000 concessions stand.

They want to spend $18 million installing three soccer fields, eight tennis courts, two baseball and two softball fields on a portion of their Village Green property. Will that render the golf course (a revenue source) obsolete?

Other expenses include $2 million for public restrooms and $2 million for skylights. But what really caught my eye was the range of cost for HVAC. From $7 to $93 per square foot.

I believe the school board should convene an oversight committee consisting of volunteers from the trades, professional purchasers, negotiators, litigators and, probably the most important source of all, teachers and students to scrutinize with the goal of reducing the planned expenditures.

Jeff Issel

Mundelein