Homer Township Not Moving Forward With Purdy Property Sale

HOMER GLEN, IL — A day after the Homer Township Board approved the sale of Purdy Farm, the township has now ceased negotiations and terminated the proposed sale, according to a release from Township Supervisor Steve Balich.

An estimated 150 residents turned out to the township meeting on Monday to oppose the sale of the open space property, but the Township Board voted 3-2 in favor of the sale. Genesis Land Development LLC had emerged as a potential buyer of the property, for which the company planned to spend about $2.6 million to build a community center on the Trantina Farm, which was also up for grabs.

On Tuesday, Balich released a statement indicating that Monday night's vote only commenced the contract negotiation process, and did not sell or change the property. Efforts by Patch to reach representatives from Genesis Land Development on Tuesday and Wednesday were unsuccessful.

"As the parties commenced contract negotiations, it became apparent that the parties will not be able to reach a viable agreement that, in the Township’s opinion, is in the best interests of its residents," Balich said in a news release. "As such, the parties have mutually agreed to cease negotiations and terminate the proposed sale. Furthermore, the other bids received were under the appraised value of the property and, therefore, the Township will not be reconsidering those."

Balich said that the township will explore other options for the best use of Purdy Farm, including maintaining the current lease while retaining ownership.

Residents who had voiced their opposition to the sale of the land also created a GoFundMe campaign and a website to save the open space property. As of Wednesday, the GoFundMe effort, organized by local resident Mike Campabello, had raised more than $13,000 of a $10,000 goal. The funds, he said, would go to cover expected legal bills that would be incurred by residents fighting the proposed sale of the property as well as costs to educate the public about this matter, the GoFundMe page says.

Any funds left over would be donated, he said, to The Conservation Foundation, a not-for-profit that works to preserve lands and rivers.

Campabello told Patch on Wednesday that he is not certain that representatives of the proposed buyer were at Monday's meeting when local residents spoke in opposition to the plan for nearly 75 minutes. However, he said that he believes the "red tape" that may have come along with the deal may have served as a warning to potential buyers.

The resident-led effort aims to inform affected residents, encourage residents to voice objections to the Township Administration, and challenge any land development to the open space property, according to the group's website.

Campabello called Tuesday's move by Genesis Land Development "a great outcome" and said that the concerned group of citizens will not be going away any time soon. He said that the group's presence and meeting and vocal opposition should send a very strong message to local officials that they cannot act as they wish when it comes to the open lands.

"The majority (of residents) are opposed to (Balich) trying to sell these lands," Campabello told Patch on Wednesday.

Campabello said that legislation needs to change when it comes to the sale of open lands, which are funded by taxpayer dollars. He said that any potential sale of the properties should be going to a referendum to allow voters to have a voice in what happens to the land.

"It seems to be a gray area for certain people," Campabello said. "The township supervisor believes he's in the right to do things that many people believe he's not in the right to do.

He added: "But we're not going to let our guard down because of one (vote) ... I don't think any of us are opposed to things being done properly. If they want to put something up for sale, they should have the public involved, especially when the open space was put into place by taxpayers."