Bolingbrook Park District Referendum Would Result in Lower Taxes

Written by: Ron Oestreich, executive director, Bolingbrook Park District

You have many decisions to make when you vote on November 6. One of them is a referendum from the Bolingbrook Park District. It is important that everyone has accurate information as you make your decision how to vote on the Park District referendum.

The most important thing to know is that with either a “yes” vote or a “no” vote on the referendum, the Bolingbrook Park District portion of residents’ tax bill will decrease. This is possible due to the elimination of $2 million in bond and interest that rolls off at the same time this bond would begin.

The Park District actively sought input from the community on their priorities, including two discussion groups in August 2017. The projects in the referendum request are a direct result of what residents told us is important to them. Park District residents told us their top priorities for repair and enhancements are:

• A Capital Asset Replacement Program (CARP), which would replace 21 aging playgrounds Village-wide and updates to various facility equipment, exteriors, furniture and fixtures, technology and some areas that require paving.
• Renovating the Bolingbrook Recreation and Aquatic Complex (BRAC), including a remodel of the entrance and hallway, creating two meeting/program room spaces, renovating the aquatics locker rooms at Pelican Harbor Indoor Aquatic Park, adding four family changing rooms, and a bridge, pavilion and shade structures to the Lazy River at Pelican Harbor Aquatic Park.
• The LilyCache Greenway pathway connection, which would connect existing trails at Veterans Parkway, as well as existing trails on the east and west sides of Weber Road.

The 21 playgrounds are located throughout the Village and are on the list for capital replacement due to their age. Many of these playgrounds are at or near 20 years old. Replacing these capital items is critical to maintain high safety standards and esthetics of your beautiful parks.

The redesign of the Bolingbrook Recreation & Aquatic Center (BRAC) entrance is needed because the current design allows cold air to enter the facility in the winter and warm air to enter in the summer. The new entrance would enable a more efficient air exchange, which would reduce energy costs.

Another priority residents said they have is adding family changing areas in the BRAC. This would benefit many young families, and is particularly important for families with special needs.

Residents who use Pelican Harbor have told us for many years that the center island of the Lazy River needs to be renovated. If the referendum passes, the space would have a pavilion available to rent; in addition, it would have more needed deck space and shade, which pool users could use for free.

A few people have asked about the union that the Park District Buildings, Grounds and Natural Resources (BGNR) staff sought to organize. Because this was a complex situation, there may be misunderstandings about what happened.

At the Park District we believe union workers for trades are often the best trained and most equipped for their lines of work. When we were negotiating with the BGNR park district staff, our research showed that their demands for wages and benefits exceeded park district industry standards. We take our role as stewards of taxpayer dollars very seriously, which is why we kept negotiating to get a reasonable agreement. Further, many people are surprised to learn that the District's BGNR staff rejected the tentative agreement reached between the District and the SEIU union negotiating team. Subsequently, the SEIU filed for disinterest because they did not want to pursue the negotiation with Bolingbrook Park District any further.

Contrary to what you may have heard, the amount that the Park District spent in legal fees was a little less than $375,000 over the four-year period.

Thank you for your interest in this important issue! Bolingbrook Park District encourages you to exercise your right to vote on November 6.