Lyons Township High Board Splits On Building Projects

LA GRANGE, IL – In rare divided votes, the Lyons Township High School board on Monday approved $12.5 million in projects starting this summer.

The dissenters opposed dipping so much into the school's bank accounts.

The work includes $10.4 million for an expansion of air conditioning, $1.6 million for restroom renovations and $337,000 for a refurbished elevator. The projects are at North Campus.

With the spending, the board would reduce its bank accounts to an equivalent of 48.6 percent of the school's annual operating income. The board aims for 50 percent.

Brian Stachacz, the school's top financial official, said he had spoken with Superintendent Brian Waterman about the issue.

"Ultimately, we would not be recommending any more use of the fund balance going forward," he said. "I don't think we're putting the district in any financial harm in terms of moving forward and being financially stable."

Board member Jill Beda Daniels opposed going below 50 percent.

"Since I've been on the board, we're spending, spending, spending," she said.

Because of that, she questioned whether it was realistic to believe that the school would not tap further into its bank accounts next year.

"There's going to be things that need to be done," Daniels said.

Member Michael Thomas said the board had "strayed very far away" from its original plan for building projects.

He said he was concerned with removing $12 million from the school's fund balance. No board, he said, has dipped that much into its accounts to spend on building projects.

Another member, Tim Albores, said he was not thrilled with going below 50 percent. But he said projects such as the restroom renovations were needed because the facilities are not Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant.

"My fear is that the project is going to get much more expensive down the road," Albores said.

Board President Jill Grech said dropping to 48.6 percent is "a margin of error."

"I think money should be re-invested into our school and into our students," she said.

Daniels and Thomas voted against the restroom renovations. Thomas also opposed spending on the air conditioning expansion and asbestos abatement, but backed the elevator project.