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1 • Thursday, May 3, 2018 - The Elmhurst Independent
Independent Elmhurst
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Elmhurst’s Locally Owned and Operated Hometown Newspaper
VOL. 23 • NO. 19
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WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM
THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2018
Wight & Co. makes presentation to School District 205 Four scenarios presented ranging from $26.1M to $161.1M
By Chris Fox FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT
The meeting of the Elmhurst District 205 School Board had a presentation by representatives of the district’s architecture firm—Wight and Company. The representatives discussed four scenarios for upgrades to the district’s facilities. The first two scenarios were labeled as “treading water,” because they addressed basic maintenance and infrastructure needs. The third and fourth scenarios were labeled as “swimming forward,” as they included a range of renovations and upgrades to district schools. The first “treading water” option in Wight’s presentation—entitled “Basic Building Improvements and Repairs”—had an estimated cost of about $26.1 million. According to that option, all building maintenance needs would be addressed by accelerating the current maintenance schedule. Ebner asked where the building-improvement funds would come from without the issuance of any referendum-related bonds. Superintendent David Moyer said that money would come out of existing operating funds, including the education fund. Ebner said that the district should let the community know what programs would be cut or modified without any new referendum-related bond funding. Ebner said the district needs several million dollars up front to address current maintenance needs at the district’s schools. Lin-
coln School, for example, reportedly dum-related funding, the money that requires a minimum of $4.2 million would go to pay for repairs would rein maintenance improvements. sult in budget cuts, staffing cuts and increased class sizes. Ebner stated Whelton: Expect cuts without the district doesn’t have the money referendum funding to pay for its maintenance needs. She Christopher Whelton, the district’s and other board members said the assistant superintendent for finance district needs to communicate that to and operations, said that if the dis- district residents. trict doesn’t receive any new referenThe second scenario presented by
the representatives from Wight and Company had an estimated cost of about $55.4 million. That scenario included all of the repairs in the first scenario, plus secured entrances at several district schools and the addition of air conditioning at Jackson and Jefferson elementary schools. An additional option of the second scenario, which had a total estimated
cost of about $82.7 million, featured district-wide technology enhancements and an addition/renovation at Lincoln School. A complete renovation of the school has an estimated cost of about $18.1 million, according to Wight and Company’s presentation. The added cost of a small
See WIGHT, Page 7
Fischer 2nd graders celebrate Arbor Day DEE LONGFELLOW PHOTO Elmhurst Independent
These second graders of Conrad Fischer Elementary School sang songs and recited poems as part of the City of Elmhurst’s annual Arbor Day ceremony on Friday, April 27. Every year, Mark Stevens, Superintendent of Forestry for the City, comes out to plant a Miyabe Maple tree at a different elementary school on Arbor Day. After the program, kids took turns shoveling soil into the hole around the new tree. More photos inside this issue.
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Police Reports...........6 Sports ��������������� 25-29 Viewpoint ����������������8 Classifieds..........33-34 129 WEST VALLETTE ELMHURST 630.279.7155 WWW.ASHEARENCOUNTER.COM
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