COD and the Village Could Meet in Court This Week

August 22 is the first day of school for students and President Robert Breuder wants four new buildings, currently under construction, open for attendance. 

Before COD students can occupy these buildings, the Village of Glen Ellyn is requesting certificates of completion. Those certificates are signed by architects, like a stamp of approval, which tells village officials that the buildings are up to code.

Here's the problem: Both the village and the college have their own versions of these certificates. So the question is, which one trumps the other? That question could be answered sooner than later.  

Both Breuder and village attorney Stuart Diamond have said that a legal battle over who has jurisdiction of COD’s four buildings is imminent.

“We have to find an answer,” Breuder said when addressing the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. “If not, we’re going to court and it’s going to be protracted.”

Breuder said he believes Glen Ellyn officials are more concerned with power than safety.

“Nobody has an issue, but we are constantly hearing about health, welfare and safety. Well, show us,” Breuder said.

Brueder’s comments echoed a press statement COD released Thursday, stating they have not received “a list of health, welfare and safety issues the Village of Glen Ellyn contends could prevent the College from occupying four of its newly constructed and renovated buildings in August.”

Diamond dismissed the college’s challenge, stating that the burden of proof is on the college, not the village.

“This is not a situation where we have to prove to the college that there’s something wrong with the buildings,” Diamond said. He added that the college is “ignoring the law.”

Breuder said COD follows building codes as determined by the Illinois Community College Board, and that they’re supposed to follow local ordinances when instructed to by the ICCB. 

Both sides have indicated their willingness to go to court over the issue. On June 28, the village took the necessary steps to file an injunction to prevent COD from occupying the four buildings.

While village officials portrayed the filing as being necessary, college officials said it went against the “spirit of cooperation” that the two sides were trying to work for. 

But as the debate continues, officials on each side have indicated that they wish the relationship between the college and the village was better.

Diamond said on Monday that he hopes an agreement over the certificates of completion can be reached but he expects to be in court this Thursday if he does not hear something positive from COD.