'Apprehension' On Lyons Township High's Financial Status: Official

LA GRANGE, IL – A Lyons Township High School board member referred on Monday to "my apprehension about where we are financially."

Member Jill Beda Daniels was speaking during a discussion on building upgrades. She asked whether the school can keep up with improvements without a referendum.

On Monday, the board voted for $2.3 million for "life safety" building upgrades over the next five years. The money would come from the school's operating account, officials said.

Daniels said the school spends $2.5 million to $3 million in building improvements each year without tapping into its fund balance.

The new expense, she said, is a "substantial" amount of money, especially because of rising costs.

In response, Brian Stachacz, the school's top finance official, said the goal was to tap into the school's bank accounts to pay for the life safety work.

"We'll have to keep our eye on that and see if we can do that going forward," he said. "We still potentially have money available to do other projects."

For the last few years, the board has wanted to sell its 73 acres in Willow Springs to pay for improvements to the two campuses. It had hoped to draw at least $55 million, but that would have required industrial development, which zoning prohibits.

Now, the school expects less than half that much, given that Willow Springs officials say they won't allow a zoning exception.

Monday's meeting wasn't the first time Daniels brought up the specter of a referendum.

In a May 2024 discussion, board members lamented that the school had too many needed projects on its list and not enough money.

"If we ever decided to have a referendum, this is a way we could fund the projects, too," Daniels said at the time.