Wheeling board votes no on loan help for developer

Police broke up a crowd Monday that verbally attacked some Wheeling board members who voted against giving developer Mark Smith an additional $3 million.

The board voted 5-2 not to help Smith pay off bank loans to build Prairie Park, a high-end condo project on North Wolf Road. Trustees Ken Brady and Dean Argiris wanted to give Smith the $3 million, while Village President Judy Abruscato and trustees Ray Lang, Robert Heer, Pat Horcher and Dave Vogel voted against the idea.

After the vote, Mark Smith quickly left village hall with his wife, Vivian, who was in tears. About 20 Smith supporters followed the couple out of the meeting, some loudly accused trustees of not fulfilling promises made to the Smith family, and others vowed not to vote for some trustees in the next election.

Abruscato called a five-minute recess after Lang and Village Manager Mark Rooney accused one resident of threatening them.

"Not that I think he'd follow through on it, but he threatened me, and that needs to be addressed," Rooney told Wheeling police Deputy Chief Bill Benson. Eventually, the man returned and apologized to Rooney.

The chaos that followed Monday's vote showed how emotional the topic of Prairie Park's funding had become for Wheeling politicians and residents. Smith acknowledged those feelings Monday.

"Over the past six months, my skin has gotten much thicker while personal attacks have been made against me, my company and even my children," Smith told the board. "I've lived here for 28 years, I've raised my kids here and I haven't run off to other towns to develop."

If Smith would have gotten his money, it would have brought the village's total financial contributions to the project to $7.5 million.

Smith has said village officials promised him the full $7.5 million back in 2003. But when it came time to make the deal official, the board approved a much lower $3 million, he said.

While Brady didn't comment before casting his vote, Argiris backed Smith's claim and spent about 10 minutes trying to encourage fellow trustees to give Smith the $3 million.

"I guess there was a handshake; I was there and saw an agreement that had $7.5 million written all over it," Argiris said. "I sat there and thought, what an opportunity. Shame on us if we close up shop now. Things are tough now, but they won't be like this forever."

The $3 million Smith did receive in 2003 came by way of tax increment financing to build 306 high-end condo units in five buildings. In a TIF district, property tax revenue to local governments is frozen, and revenue resulting from increasing property value is funneled into development.

In 2006 Smith asked for and received an additional $1.5 million to cover the rising cost of materials. The $3 million Smith asked for on Monday would have come from the village's general fund.

So far only four of the buildings have been constructed. A promised clubhouse also is yet to be built. While the first two buildings are sold out, there are about 75 unsold units in the remaining two buildings.

Back in June, most trustees supported Smith's request and asked Rooney to find the $3 million from TIF district funds, not the general fund. But officials were unable to do that since the total of the village's tax increment financing district funds is at a $4 million deficit.

The past week hasn't been all bad news for the Smith family.

On Saturday, the Wheeling park board agreed to pay the family $1.5 million for about 30 acres along the south side of Lake-Cook Road between Northgate Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue. The area includes a 13-acre lake, 17 acres of natural landscaping and three acres of buildable space.

Vivian Smith resigned Aug. 1 from the Wheeling Park District board, and according to Wheeling Park District Executive Director Jan Buchs, she never participated in any closed-door session where the purchase was discussed.

Buchs said the park board did not bail out the Smith Family by buying some of their land.

"This was a great opportunity for the park board, and it's important for us to secure this property," she said. "The value of that land has been talked about off and on for 30 years. I can't speak to (the Smith family's) situation."

Board: Wheeling park board did vote to give developer money