Lyons Township High Violations Cited By Attorney General

BENSENVILLE, IL – The attorney general found last week that the board for the DuPage County Forest Preserve District repeatedly violated state law before it sold land in Bensenville more than two years ago.

In so doing, the attorney general's office cited its 2023 ruling finding the Lyons Township High School board broke the same provision of the law.

In summer 2022, the forest preserve sold the Fischer Farm property on Old Grand Avenue to the Bensenville Park District.

A year later, watchdog Edgar Pal filed a complaint with the attorney general that the board violated the Open Meetings Act by holding five closed sessions on selling the land.

The law allows the board to close the doors for the limited purpose of setting the price of the real estate. But it is barred from keeping secret the debate over whether to sell it.

The attorney general requested the elected board release the closed-session recordings to the public.

In its decision, the attorney general cited its ruling in 2023 that the Lyons Township High School board violated state law by holding closed sessions on selling 70 acres.

In that case, the board was planning to sell the Willow Springs land, which is next to houses and an elementary school, to an industrial developer, even though the village's zoning prohibited industrial uses.

During the meetings, school officials said they were keeping secret the discussions because they expected a backlash from the public.

In the forest preserve's case, the agency's lawyer said the board wanted to place conditions on the land sale such as a requirement to preserve the property. Such terms, the lawyer argued, factored into the price.

But the attorney general said those conditions were not intertwined with setting the price. Board members agreed on a $100,000 price early in the discussions, and that number did not change as members debated terms, the attorney general said.

In a statement to Patch on Friday, Karie Friling, the forest preserve's executive director, said her agency is reviewing the attorney general's nonbinding opinion.

"We fully intend to comply with the office’s request in accordance with applicable laws," she said.

According to the Bensenville Park District, Fischer Farm is believed to be one of the oldest remaining homesteads in the county.

The Fischer family established their home around the year 1836, the district said.

Throughout the area, Pal has prevailed in open government battles with public bodies. In Elmhurst, his successes include the city council, the school board and the park board.