Questions needing answers in Dist. 204
The District 204 school board is engaging in a bit of revisionist history. Board president Mark Metzger stated in the Oct. 3 Daily Herald: "We are certainly, most likely because of a downturn in housing, not seeing the growth we initially projected we would get," he said. "But, as a whole, the board felt the referendum was not sold on the basis of future projections as it was on the basis of students already here."
Yeah, right. We all remember the slick fliers and endless e-mails used to browbeat voters with the projection of 10,400 students that would be flooding 204 high schools. This fanciful number of 10,400 was necessary because it would have been too risky to go to referendum for a $124.7 million high school using the realistic number of students in the bubble, which is approximately 9,100.
As Mr. Metzger admits, the district's enrollment projections are not panning out. Incoming enrollment has been declining for the past two years. The fiscally responsible course of action would be for the school board to re-examine the needs of the district based on the recent enrollment data.
If a third high school is built, District 204 parents and taxpayers need to ask the board what will happen after the bubble passes through the system and a third high school is obviously not needed. Will a high school close? Which one? What will happen with the proceeds from the sale? Will it be refunded to taxpayers for funding an unneeded building?
It's not farfetched to imagine District 204 selling off land. In fact, the Oct. 5 Daily Herald reports, with regard to the Brach-Brodie property: "If the district decides it doesn't need all 80 acres, it would have the option of buying the property and then selling part of it."
This is curious for two reasons: First, didn't the district allege in their condemnation lawsuit need on the part of the community for the 55 acres? Second, I was a member of the citizens referendum committee organized by the district prior to the 2005 referendum. The committee was repeatedly told by district officials and board members that a third high school could not be built on less than 80 acres. What has changed?
These are just a few of the questions that should be asked and answered before $141 million is spent on a third high school.
Lisa Ohlhausen
Naperville