Split In Darien Area Pro-Tax Hike Movement

DARIEN, IL – A Center Cass School District 66 board member said Sunday that he disliked advertising for a property tax increase last year that painted a dire situation with the schools' fire alarms.

Member Brian Liedtke was outspoken in his support for a tax increase, which a narrow majority of voters passed.

Before the election, the Save Center Cass School District 66 committee issued a mailer that said, "Center Cass fire alarms are antiquated & unreliable."

The group posed the question, "Could kids get out quickly enough?"

Yet the schools passed fire inspections and the local fire chief said his agency identified no safety issues.

Last week, Patch reported the district would not overhaul its fire alarm systems until next summer, a year and a half after voters passed the referendum.

In his comments about the story, Liedtke contended Patch failed to include the fire chief's quotes that the school system could put in better, more computer-friendly detectors. Patch had paraphrased the chief's statements.

Patch asked Liedtke whether he agreed with how the pro-tax increase committee handled the advertising on the fire alarm systems.

Liedtke said he was "absolutely not" in favor of the messaging.

"But again, I cannot control what outside groups say," Liedtke said on the Patch comment board. "The district has always said what priority and category each maintenance and construction item mapped to and provided a 15-year plan for how those items would be accomplished. The replacement and upgrade of the fire alarm system is not any earlier or later than the facilities maintenance plan as communicated and is being completed exactly as promised and scheduled."

Liedtke also took issue with Patch's reporting on the fire alarm issue.

"I’m on the front lines of this issue and know more about this than the reporter. What exactly is wrong with upgrading equipment that regularly triggers false alarms and has faulty and troubled sensors?" he said "What exactly is wrong with being able to have modern and safe fire protection systems that will pinpoint which classroom alarm is being triggered? Is that not a good thing?"

Patch left a message for comment with the committee chairwoman, Elizabeth Uribe.

Center Cass includes parts of Darien, Downers Grove and Woodridge.