Facts show township manages open space well

I must take issue to a recent letter from Kate Monteleone. The Campton Township Open Space program was approved and created by the citizens of Campton Township in 2001. The Township Open Space Act as provided by Illinois state statutes is intended specifically for townships and has nothing to do with forest preserve districts or highway districts.

Our award-winning program has successfully accomplished what it intended to: preserve and protect our beautiful open spaces and natural areas and create opportunities for passive and active recreation to improve our quality of life. The bond referendum is a very small price to pay to continue to provide our area with 1,650 acres of open space and properly maintain and improve the amenities at the various locations. The bonds issued in 2005 will be retired by 2029, so our tax bills will be going down, not up. Our last referendum was passed by a 74% affirmative vote.

Secondly, the Campton Township Highway District maintains 31 miles of roadway in the unincorporated areas of the township. Through intergovernmental agreements, the road district maintains 101 miles of road for the village of Campton Hills, eight miles of road for the village of Lily Lake and 11 miles of road for Plato Township. I would call this a very efficient use of tax dollars.

Research by Northwestern University and others has shown direct correlation between the amount of open space a community has and the state of physical and mental health.

Lastly, along with two previous bond referendums, Campton Township has successfully obtained close to $8 million in grant, saved taxpayers $16.7 million by refinancing bonds and is completing the acquisition of 240 acres of property values at $4.1 million for only $500,000. Our open space program is a success and will continue to be successful when voters understand the facts.

Joe Garbarski

Campton Township