Official Calls LTHS Comments 'Ignorant'

LA GRANGE, IL – A Willow Springs official on Monday referred to comments from the Lyons Township High School board and its attorney as "ignorant" after hearing the board's closed-door recordings.

The dispute over the school's land in Willow Springs was resurrected last week after the board released its recordings from two Jan. 23 closed sessions. It did so under the attorney general's orders because of Open Meetings Act violations.

In an email to Patch, Willow Springs Village Administrator Ryan Grace called the comments during the closed meetings "ignorant, one-sided and pre-determined."

"Their comments behind closed doors speak volumes of their character and have only proven what our community has feared, they just do not care about us," Grace said in the email.

In December, the board sought bids with a minimum price of $55 million, a number based on an appraisal for industrial development.

However, the village's zoning does not permit industrial uses in the area in question. Rather, it allows housing, retirement communities and small retailers. For other types of uses, a developer would need to seek an exception.

Behind closed doors, school officials said they would get about $20 million for the uses allowed under the village code, with the proceeds spent on building improvements.

The 71 acres in question are surrounded by a school, a park, a country club, houses and a UPS facility.

The second closed session was held after a public meeting, in which Willow Springs residents and officials protested industrial development.

During the closed meeting, attorney Ares Dalianis, with the Chicago-based Franczek law firm, said the residents who spoke would even oppose a development with high-end houses, condos and townhomes and a Starbucks and a Pilates studio.

"They would say, 'Why would you take $20 million and cause us to lose this great natural asset?' All the carbon capture comments would start coming at you. There's nothing they want more than to maintain the status quo," Dalianis said.

"It doesn't matter what you come up with," Dalianis said. "(They'll say) you are going to overload Pleasant Dale schools with these large homes. You're going to overload Pleasantdale Park District to use the pool and track and whatever facilities. They're never going to be satisfied. That's my assessment of what you're facing. There's nothing you can do to make them happy, other than to stop doing everything you've done and leave that land alone."

Board members could be heard agreeing with Dalianis.

Dalianis declined to comment on his statements Monday, referring questions to the school. Patch left a message with the school board's email account.

In his email, Grace noted his statement at the Jan. 23 meeting urging the board to work within current zoning. At the time, he offered copies of the zoning code.

"In addition, the majority of the public that spoke in opposition that evening and those that have spoken out since that time have only urged LTHS to not sell to an industrial builder and to work with the community to develop the site within current zoning," Grace said. "The only people that refuse to understand that process are the LTHS board members and their administration staff."

Grace also pointed to a part of the recording where board members admitted that they would be just as upset if this was happening in their backyard.

He said he and the Village Board remained committed to working with the high school if it chooses to proceed professionally to resolve the issue.

See other stories based on the recordings of the closed-door meetings on Jan. 23:

• LTHS Official Alleges Conspiracy Against School
• Did Election Sway LTHS Board On Willow Springs?
• LTHS Admission: Sale Would Hurt Neighbors