Any one thing that affects a specific part of the village in any way ultimately affects the whole village. It is therefore the responsibility of your village government to respond and protect the best interests of the entire village when special circumstances arise.
By now residents know School District 67 is having financial hardships. Being a school district with a reputation for excellence, it would be a loss for all who reside in Morton Grove if their services were diminished. The question today is not why this has happened, but rather what can be done to ensure this quality education institution is retained in Morton Grove?
You may have also heard School District 67 has a couple of options from which they are seeking community input. The first option sells the Golf School building and property to a private commercial business. If this sale takes place, the school district would consolidate its operations and office facilities at Hynes School. Consolidating the two schools would mean a substantial reduction in district expenditures, and would hopefully put the district back on the road to financial stability. This choice has an emotional affect for many because the school property will be lost along with the relatively new and improved soccer field. Another option is to enact a property tax increase and keep the two existing buildings as they are, even though they both need substantial renovations. These choices are decisions which must be made by the school district board and not the village. The Village of Morton Grove has no jurisdiction over selling this school district-owned property. The village does, however, have the ability to assist the school district if they decide to sell.
Your village government has therefore been looking to the future. We have looked at every opportunity for the benefits it could bring to the village as a whole. If School District 67 decides to consolidate and sell the Golf School and adjacent property, the new business that would acquire the property would generate a conservative estimate of $200,000 in real estate taxes and $500,000 in sales taxes each year. With that kind of revenue opportunity, the village would be negligent if it did not look at the benefits.
School District 67 has already held several meetings on this issue. The village has made presentations on what it could do to financially help out the School District without raising real estate taxes higher than they have to. As previously stated, it is not the job of the village to sell Golf School. However, the village has taken on the job: ? of doing research and presenting facts to hopefully help the school district make a rational and informed decision; and ? of identifying the changes that will occur if the school is sold and be prepared to meet those changes; and ? to help the school district find a way to resolve and prosper from this issue; and ? to continue to bring businesses to the community for the good of all its citizens.
The village has taken the time to think about what direction we want to move toward while keeping everyone’s best interests in mind for the good of the entire community. We will continue to work toward and for the best interest of Morton Grove.
— Daniel J. Staackmann, mayor, Morton Grove
