Naperville School District 203's administration is recommending the school board ask voters for a tax hike to fund improvements, including an $87 million renovation of Naperville Central High School. Now the question becomes, will the typical Naperville homeowner agree to pay another $82 a year for 20 years?
That's the amount a $43 million bond issue will cost the typical Naperville D203 resident. All told, the school board on Dec. 3 will be asked to support $115 million in projects, which include $7.3 million to expand Mill Street School.
What do you think of the plan? Since it doesn't propose any affect on Knoch Park, what does it say to you about the future of such Martin-Mitchell amenities as the garden plots and scout camp? Did the officials at D203 get it right, and will you support the referendum?
NO! An eighty-seven million dollar renovation???? I know, we MUST FEED our school system to maintain the home values established but what good does that due if you can no longer afford to pay the taxes already confiscated? There must be some point at which the taxpayer turns the spigot off. Please allow me to restate my position - NO!
First, I suggest that "Jim" take a tour of Central High and make an INFORMED decision. Everyone who bothered to become informed and seen the horrible facilities was shocked at the sorry state of the school. Folks who saw for themselves said it needs to be fixed - the right way - ASAP.
Second, while an "integrated solution" including changes to the Mitchell property might be ideal, the park district cannot get it's act together, and those terrified of change (including SUN columnist Bill Mego) made this even more difficult. It is hard to believe that this is the same community that built the Riverwalk, that is being forced to keep camping, shooting and vegetable gardens downtown. The resistance to change is unfortunate because the results would have been great. Scouts could move to a quieter, better facility at Seager Park. Garden Plots could be recreated in multiple locations around the city. Sportsman's park does not belong in downtown Naperville. What could have been a wonderful amenity for the whole city has been stopped by a very vocal and well connected minority unwilling to evolve.
203 has been studying this for several years, has what they they feel is a workable solution ( major renovation short of a rebuild on their existing property). This is a problem that needs to be solved - Our children deserve to go to school in a building that cannot be truthfully referred to as a "dump". I'd prefer to see it rebuilt, but understand that 203 has to choose not what they necessarily think is best, but what they think they can sell voters on.
Is this a "perfect solution"? There's an old saying that "perfect is the enemy of the good". Because of the Park district and other naysayers, the "perfect solution" is not possible. Bravo to 203 for moving forward on a "good" solution because it is clear that "perfect" is unattainable in the foreseeable future, and the kids deserve better.
The local school boards have proven they can not be trusted with your money. Taxes are so high they have become dilutive of property values. Over 350 Naperville homes are in foreclosure and another 200 are bank owned or up for auction.
Let D203 use the millions of extra money they took from me in the last referendum. They can not be trusted and the school board has been taken over by union tax and spenders.
>>Did the officials at D203 get it right, and will you support the referendum?
NO!
The City of Naperville made a promise to the Scouts (Boys and Girls) when the Von Oven land was donated that it will always be used for Scouts. It serves the needs of the Scouts and is a Wildlife Conservation Area. Honor and Trust. Timeless Values...
There is no reason they should give up that land especially for an event that is 1 weekend a month. If the 'facilities' at Seager Park are so great, move Ribfest there. Better still, hold Ribfest at Frontier Park.
Hey, Joe, you make it sound like the City of Naperville made some kind of sacred vow to the Boy and Girl Scouts. A little sacrifice is needed on all sides. I'm sure the Scouts will understand if they have to move to another location if it means progress for the city. There are a lot of issues at stake here - I wouldn't shed any tears for the Scouts. They'll manage to do just fine.
Joe, $15 is all it takes to be a "wildlife conservation area" - http://www.nwf.org/backyard/. All of the Scouts and leaders that I have talked to say that Von Oven is great for hearing traffic. I agree that having an area for Scouts in our city in important. Having it downtown is not. Same thing for Garden plots - having them is great and important. Having them downtown is not really important.
In any case, the point is moot because the short sighted park board is willing to punish 140,000 so that one thousand gardeners and scouts won't have to relocate to nicer places. That way everyone loses. I hope you're happy, Joe.
My guess is that "Joe" is a shotgun shooter and knows that Sportsman's days are numbered. But instead of defending the indefensible, he hides behind boy scouts. Timeless values indeed.
Casimir,
The City of Naperville passed an Ordinance in the 1950's shortly after the land donation stating what I said. So what's at stake is the word of the city. Just because some in the city covet the land doesn't mean they have to give it up, nor should they.
The problem is that people are simply using the Naperville Central HS as the 'wedge' to finally have a 'reason' to try to take over the Von Oven Property for use for RibFest. That's been coveted for quite some time and everyone knows it. Back in 2002, the intention was to just pave it over and use it for parking 1 weekend a year. Never mind that thousands of scouts use it year round.
That still does not mean they have to give up anything. Hold Ribfest elsewhere, like Frontier Park or any other place or work within the land they have been doing it in for the past number of years. It's been just fine. Your not shedding a tear is indicative to the mindset already mentioned that believes they are entitled to things that are not theirs.
It's comments like Casimirs' that truly disgust me. We live in a country slowly becoming devoid of ethics and morality with too many people only interested in "what's in it for me" or "how can I make a buck". The kids at Central have made it this long without damaging their academic or athletic stature and I'm sure they can hack it a little while longer.
Hey Casimir, how does the saying go, a mans word is his, ah just forget it.
Joe and Casimir,
Making changes to the Von Oven land, the garden plots and the shooting club was only talked about as a possible option if 203 built a totally new school south of Hillside. Since they are remodeling Central it's a moot point.
For those that want to talk about taxes, I will mention that 203 spends about $300 more per student than the state average. something like $8650 vs $8350 so from that measure they are being good financial stewards. I read recently the debt per student for buildings and grounds is a ridiculously low $297 a student. Many districts have debts in the $10,000 range and more. I will agree our taxes aren't cheap, but it's also true that the school district's excellent reputation helps our property values, ask any Realtor.
Hooray, Thom! Yes, our property taxes are high. But people need to remember that your house is worth more in Naperville BECAUSE of the reputation of 203 and 204 being excellent schools. Put the same house in Lisle, Aurora, Woodridge or Bolingbrook and it's not worth as much. I am so tired of listening to people who do not have children complain about their property taxes and how much of it goes for schools. Everyone with a brain knew that when they purchased their house here in the first place. If you don't like it - MOVE!
SSD,
140,000 are not 'punished' because they were never entitled to the land to begin with.
That's the original wrong of your stance that makes everything else built upon that mean absolutely nothing.
>>140,000 are not 'punished' because they were never entitled to the land to begin with.
The land belongs to "the people of Naperville". So, yes they are entitled - it belongs to everyone.
The downtown park land has the greatest pottential for the greatest number of people - Garden plots are great, but they could certainly be moved to more remote locations. I think the plots should be relocated, expanded and improved. I have a son who is a scout and having room for the scouts is a great thing. But there are lots of places that are quieter and more secluded. The scouts should also be relocated, expanded and improved.
So why are you against expanded and improved garden plots and expanded and improved Scout facilities? I still stick by my original guess - that you are unable to defend the indefensible, so you hide behind the kids.
SSD,
Emma Von Oven and the City of Naperville designated the land for the use by Scouts. The 140K are more than welcome to volunteer their time in the Scout organizations and make use of the current facilities.
My wife and I both have been and are scout leaders (Cub/Boys and Girls). The reservation more than serves its purpose and even the current caretakers of the trust say that the facilities more than meets the needs of the Scouts. I happen to agree with them. The reservation is not intended to be a 'out in the boondocks' campground and it's not used nor expected to be used that way. There are facilities at Camp Greenwood and may other places nearby that fulfill those larger expanded roles already.
I have no interest in the shooting park nor the garden plots so your assumption is flat wrong. If they want to relocate, great.
It's great that you have a son in the organization. I welcome you to step into a leadership role as well and I hope your son makes it to the high honor of Eagle.
Joe,
I think you are being short sighted. The Scouts could have an area that is larger and with better facilities. The Mitchell property should be able to be enjoyed by all of Naperville. Just as Grant Park is Chicago's "front yard", that land could be Naperville's "front yard". Not just for 3 or 4 days in July, but all year 'round. Moving out of that land is the right thing for the Scouts to do.
SSD,
It's not short sighted. It's being realistic.
The Mitchel properties are able to be enjoyed by all. Is there an exclusion list for the Park District facilities? Ok, technically, D203 excludes D204 students from going to school there, but they could take a park district class that actually takes place at NCHS (dance/ballet I believe). Does Naper Settlement exclude people from visiting? No, it's a public park after sundown and anyone can volunteer to work there as a character in time (try it sometime, it's quite fun). Anyone can volunteer to be a member of the Boy or Girl Scout organization. Offer your mentoring and life skills as a Merit Badge Counselor or a troop leader or even a get paid and become a District employee. Again, try it sometime. If people feel excluded from it today, they only have themselves to blame.
Moving out of the land is the wrong thing to do. It's 10 acres but serves the intended purposes well. For those complaining about 'traffic noise' there I would bet you dollars to donuts that the 'traffic noise' there is less then the train noise just blocks away from Seager Park and the cars on Plank Road that's used as an Ogden Ave bypass. Sad that everyone claiming what an awesome move it would be fails to mention that little fact.
It's interesting, with how well we think of ourselves here in Naperville, that not one of our High Schools made the Top 100 Gold Medal list just published by US News and World Report, not even Neuqua! You would think, with how wealthy this school district thinks it is, that we would at least have one school come in above a hundred. It's time we concentrated our education dollars on education excellence, within safe and secure walls--not castles. Four schools in Illinois made the list, do they have the glitz and glitter that we expect in 203 and 204?
64-Young Magnet
77-Adlai Stevenson
90-Lincoln Park
100-Jones College Prep
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/11/29/gold-medal-schools.html
Ann E.
Actually what Adli Stevenson, District 125, has is a lot more money. It spends about 30% more than 203 does. The other three are Chicago Public Schools Magnet/Prep schools, so they are a bit of a special case it seems to me.
A recent study in a competing local paper has 203 as number 2 out of 77 districts in the Chicago area, coming in behind District 125 above by 2 percentage points. number 3 was 7 ponts below 203 and you have to get to District 204 at number 12 to find a district that spends less but with a score that 13 points lower. 203 does an exceptional job educating students at a cost LOWER than most.The rebuilding of Central isn't about glitz and glitter it's bringing up a building up to 21st. century standards. 203 has shown they deliver.
Yes, Thom, these schools are in a different category, whether a wealthier school district or a Chicago magnet school. It is good to reflect, however, that other communities do have success outside of what we think to be the biggest and best here in Naperville. We do very well, hands down, for a public school system. The Chicago Magnet schools do well inside of a very stressed public city school system. It would be a good thing for us to not lose sight of education as being primary, and the buildings as being the vehicle to provide the education. There is a need to address Central's building, and it sounds like the 203 SB is trying to be more responsible with tax dollars than 204. At some point, it would be refreshing to hear more about the education needs for continuing excellence in 203 and 204, rather than what seems to be bickering all about the buildings themselves.
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