Bensenville Official Struggles In Another Park District

BERWYN — You may think the executive director of the Bensenville Park District has a big job, especially as the district considers selling half of White Pines Golf Club, just north of Elmhurst.

But that's not Joe Vallez's only job. He also holds the same position for the North Berwyn Park District.

In North Berwyn, the park board is asking voters to decide on a $5 million bond referendum. The election is June 28.

Also, Patch recently discovered the North Berwyn district is a year behind in posting its annual financial report on the state comptroller's website. This is required by law.

With the $5 million, the North Berwyn district says it can renovate the old VFW building at 15th Street and Harlem Avenue, replace the playground equipment at Mackin Park, and remove the old pool at 15th Street and Maple Avenue and replace it with a water park and splash pad.

However, some residents seem hesitant to back the ballot measure.

During a referendum informational meeting Saturday, resident Luz Chavez raised concerns about the apparent lack of transparency and community engagement from the park district. Vallez went on the defensive.

“While we service you as a taxpayer,” Vallez told Chavez, “we are not your servants.”

The park district is set to hold another informational meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday.

This debate comes as the North Berwyn Park District is delinquent in its 2020 fiscal year reporting, which was due in June 2021, according to a spokesperson from the state Comptroller's Office. The park district’s 2021 fiscal year report is due June 29, with a possible extension to Aug. 28.

Vallez told Patch that North Berwyn has been unable to provide financial information to the state because it was in the middle of an audit when its auditing firm quit in August 2021.

In an interview, Vallez said the firm told the park district it was unable to complete the audit because financial information was missing. Even after the North Berwyn district provided the missing information, the firm refused to continue with the audit, he said.

Vallez said the park district is accepting bids for a new auditing firm and hopes to select a new firm in July.

The Bensenville district is up to date with its financial reports.

Early voting in the June 28 election began Monday.