Winfield voters to weigh in on plan to move village hall

Winfield voters will weigh in this April on whether the town should spend $10 million on a new village hall and $1 million on a downtown plaza.

The ballot question is nonbinding. Still, village trustees Marianne Bruss and Robert Greer gathered more than 600 signatures to get the advisory question on the ballot because "voters want and deserve an opportunity to voice legitimate concern" on how the money is spent.

"Even though the results of nonbinding referendums can be dismissed by governing boards," Bruss said in an email, "the onerous requirements to get a citizen-initiated question on the ballot ought to give even more weight and consideration to the answers."

The referendum comes as village board members disagree about how to pay for the construction of a new village hall and police station.

As part of a larger redevelopment of downtown, a public plaza and two stand-alone buildings could be built on the existing village hall site. The village hall, which also houses the police station, would be torn down and relocated.

If that happens, the village will need to acquire property and build a new village hall. The other option would be to buy an existing building and convert it.

Currently, money for the village hall project is expected to come from revenue generated by a tax increment financing district set to expire in 2028. In a TIF district, property taxes above a certain point are funneled into development rather than to local governments.

"The village has been working on redevelopment plans that would utilize TIF dollars to relocate our antiquated village hall/police station a few blocks east to make way for new commercial development by the train station," Village Manager Curt Barrett said in an email. "But this does not involve any measurable tax increase to Winfield property owners."

Outgoing Village President Erik Spande has said the village hall project could cost between $8 million and $12 million. Other trustees say the estimated cost is not known.

At a recent joint meeting with the Winfield Elementary District 34 school board, some village trustees said they expect voters to reject the ballot question.

Officials agree there are inadequacies with the existing village hall and police station, which does not have a holding cell for suspects.

"(Winfield's existing village hall) is going to cost us more and more money exponentially to maintain if we don't do something about it," Trustee Dennis Hogan said.