Debate over St. Hubert sprinklers continues

Hoffman Estates Trustee Gary Pilafas doesn't think St. Hubert Catholic School should be forced to adhere to the village's sprinkler requirement.

He reasons that because the same staff at St. Hubert oversees both the church and school operations, there's no distinguishing them in a legal sense. That would leave St. Hubert exempt from the village's requirement for schools to have sprinkler systems by the end of 2010.

St. Hubert Principal Vito DeFrisco pointed out Monday the state accredited St. Hubert as a school, which throws a wrench in Pilafas' logic. The village board still agreed to again revisit the matter in 90 days to gather more information. It first discussed the issue in April.

St. Hubert officials contend they don't have the $560,900 for sprinklers and have asked village officials for an exemption for the requirement, which the village established in 1996. The law gave schools like St. Hubert until the end of 2010 to install sprinklers. St. Hubert's price estimate is based on a report by Schirmer Engineering, which includes asbestos removal for about $250,000.

But is giving St. Hubert an exemption fair to others who have already complied with the law? Village Attorney Art Janura said if the village doesn't offer other schools the same exemption, it's not fair. He also added the village board would need a "rational basis" for making the exception. Having sympathy for St. Hubert's plight wouldn't count.

Mayor William McLeod supports upholding the deadline, saying no one should have to put a price on the safety of a child or a firefighter.

Fire Chief Robert Gorvett wants St. Hubert to have sprinklers and said he would be in favor of expanding the village law to include more buildings. He also had a question for school officials.

"What's been the plan for the last 13 years?" he said.

The Rev. Robert Rizzo, St. Hubert's pastor, said he became aware of the requirement only about a year and a half ago and added there was confusion because the church building isn't required to have sprinklers.

Rizzo said each of the school's classrooms has exits leading outside, which gives students and teachers an extra layer of safety, diminishing the need for sprinklers.

Public schools aren't covered by the law, which agitated Pilafas, who said there needed to be an equal playing field for all schools. Conant and Hoffman Estates high schools do have sprinklers. Pilafas said unlike public school districts that can raise taxes for these projects, Catholic schools like St. Hubert don't have such luxury.