Campton Township seeks support for $17.2 million open space referendum

Campton Township is seeking permission from voters to borrow $17.2 million to acquire, maintain, develop, rehabilitate and renovate open space.

The April 1 ballot measure is a continuation of the township’s effort at open space preservation, which began with voters approving $18.7 million in bonds in 2001 and $28.2 million in 2005.

The previous bond issues allowed the township to buy and preserve 1,650 acres, maintaining a rural residential environment.

“We are extremely proud of our Open Space program and look forward to passage of the bond referendum,” Campton Township Supervisor John Kupar wrote in an email.

The new bond request is proposed for:

• $5.4 million for additional property purchases;

• $400,000 for additional personnel;

• $560,000 for the first phase of priority projects;

• $2.9 million for the second phase of priority projects;

• $1.8 million for the third phase of priority projects;

• $6.2 million for future projects.

“We are anticipating a 10-year bond issuance on the $17.2 million open space referendum, which targets a $0.23 tax rate in order to keep the tax in line with the taxes paid in 2025,” according to Kupar’s email.

The impact on a house valued at $400,000 would be $286 per year or $24 a month. The impact on a house valued at $800,000 would be $590 per year or $49 per month, according to Speer Financial Inc.‘s calculations.

Campton Township Open Space Foundation Executive Director Joe Garbarski said his group is the citizen volunteer organization promoting the referendum. The money would be used for maintenance, operations, improvements, and land acquisition.

“We created a list for the township of improvements through our own committee,” Garbarski said. “We feel that it’s work that needs to be done and there’s also some parcels of land still available for purchase.”

One area that needs more than $2 million in improvements is the 206-acre Gray Willows Farm at 5N949 Corron Road, Campton Hills, he said.

“Gray Willows Farm came with nine buildings on the property and some of those needed to be taken down because they’re in poor shape,” Garbarski said. “The main house was in very poor shape, and we can’t use it for any of our programs until it’s done.”

More information is available on the foundation’s website at ctosf.com.