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Oak Brook citizens group supports Sports Core referendum
Updated: March 4, 2013 1:49AM
OAK BROOK — A group of Oak Brook residents has organized in support of a possible referendum seeking to sell Sports Core property to Butler Elementary District 53.
The Village Board plans to decide Jan. 8 if it will go ahead with a referendum. District 53 is interested in purchasing eight acres on which to build a new school. The village is required by the deed for the Sports Core property to get voter approval for any such sale.
“There’s been a lot of misinformation going around about this,” said Jim Pehta, who has lived in Oak Brook since 1981 and has been president of the Midwest Chase Homeowners Association for the past five years. “We want to have the facts on the table and then let the voters decide if this is what they want. There’s so much back and forth on this. A referendum is the only way to go.”
Pehta is hopeful those with questions about a referendum and possible sale of Sports Core property to District 53 will take the time to read a fact sheet compiled by school officials. The fact sheet can be vied online.
Pehta said several Oak Brook residents are continuing to organize the group in favor of a referendum. The group will seek nonprofit status after Jan. 1 and work to raise funds in support of getting a referendum passed April 9.
“There’s no coalition of homeowners presidents opposed to this referendum,” Pehta said. “There are some people putting a lot of pressure on board members to not go ahead with the referendum.”
It was older Oak Brook residents who spoke out at a Dec. 10 Village Board meeting against a referendum being placed on the ballot.
“I’m one of the seniors,” Pehta said. “Let’s look at what’s best for Oak Brook, and let’s look to the future when we do that. Building this new school improves the quality of education for everyone involved in it.”
