Homer Township Supervisor Proposes Bad Deal for Village Residents

Monday, Aug 9, Township Supervisor Steve Balich proposed an Inter Governmental Agreement with the Village of Homer Glen requiring the Village to pay for maintenance, operation, and improvements for the Township Parks within the Village limits. The deal, however, leaves the ownership of the Parks with the Township.

Language in the agreement states that the Township will retain ownership of the parks and final authorization of all improvements. Nothing in this agreement shall have the effect of creating any property interest of any kind in favor of the Village.

All responsibility for maintenance, management, operation, and improvements will be at the Village's sole and exclusive expense.

The agreement further notes that there will be NO financial contribution from the Township, even though the current Township budget shows Park dedicated revenue of more than $316,000. The Supervisor expects the Village to foot the bill for this Township service but he does not tell us what he will do with his new found wealth. Currently, the Village takes care of approximately 130 acres of parks. The Township is proposing for the Village to add 70+ additional acres of Township parks. That will dilute the amount spent overall, per acre, on all of the parks. This is not progress.

Curiously and ironically, the agreement sells this as being in the interests of the residents.That must be an inside joke on us, the residents.

At the same meeting, the Township Supervisor gifted 2 acres of land in Country Woods subdivision to the Homeowners Association. That is 2 acres of land that you, the residents and taxpayers of Homer Township, own. This land is subject to the same provisions as the agreement with the Village, so you have to wonder, why anyone would enter into these agreements when there is clearly no benefit for the Village or the homeowners in the subdivision.

The agreement is heavily in favor of the Township, as one would expect their legal team to put the best interests of their client first. This brings up yet another issue. A majority of the Village Board recently adopted an ordinance to hire the same legal firm as the Township to consult with the Village Board members. Won't this firm need to recuse itself from consulting with the Village, given the potential for conflicts? How will the Village Board members get the advice they will need to consider this agreement with the Township?