Schools

Residents Criticize D41 Plan To Take College Property By Eminent Domain

Residents voice concern about Glen Ellyn School District 41's plan to acquire a Wheaton College property using eminent domain for a new Hadley Junior High School.

In a room full of Glen Ellyn residents and neighbors of a proposed site for a new Hadley Junior High School, only one person raised their hand when asked who would support District 41 in acquiring the Wheaton College-owned land to build a new school.

Though the property at 1825 College Ave. in Wheaton is not for sale, the Glen Ellyn School District 41 board plans to make a formal offer next week and, if rejected, pursue ownership using eminent domain. 

Wheaton College has publicly opposed District 41's plan and had representation at a Wednesday community forum to reiterate its position. 

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Wheaton College Vice President for Finance Dale Kemp said the district’s proposal to pursue an "involuntary taking" of Wheaton College’s East Campus is leading to an "unfortunate conflict" between two well-respected institutions.

He said District 41 has also underestimated the value of the property.

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"Our recent purchase of a nearby 5.3 acre parcel for $8 million suggests a value of our East Campus in excess of $20 million," he said. 

District 41 Superintendent Dr. Ann Riebock said in March the board set aside $3 million of its reserves to go toward a property acquisition. She said Wednesday $3 million is not the total amount the board would expect to pay for the land.

Paul Hadley, Glen Ellyn resident and former Glenbard District 87 administrator, said he thinks the district has underestimated the value of the property and he doesn’t like the district’s "cavalier" and "high-handed" approach to the process.

“I’m disturbed by the ethics with this course of action you’re pursuing… It’s true with eminent domain (that) you have the right to do this, but that doesn’t make it right to do it,” he said. 

Mark Taylor, a Wheaton resident who lives near the East Campus property, said it’s “entirely inappropriate” for one educational institution to “grab land” from another educational institution.

He encouraged the board to go through the financing process before acquiring land and make sure taxpayers would be willing to support a referendum for a new school. 

Other residents also brought up the "cart before the horse" argument, calling the district's plan to buy land without knowing whether taxpayers would support a referendum "backwards."

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District 41 Superintendent Dr. Ann Riebock said if the board had put out a referendum first, taxpayers would be voting on a new school without knowing its location.

Wheaton College bought the East Campus property over 15 years ago as a "strategic" move for the college's "long-term educational and religious mission," Kemp said.

"Based on our current and future facility needs, selling our East Campus is not a viable option," he said. 

Kemp said if the district initiates an eminent domain action, it would not be a typical legal case against an individual property owner because of the college's charter from the State of Illinois allowing it to purchase and hold land indefinitely. 

He added, as a religious institution, the college also has Constitutional religious freedom rights and protections under Federal and State laws.

The District 41 school board on Monday, April 8, will vote on whether to make a formal offer to Wheaton College. 

"This forum is a first step into our communication process," Riebock said. She said district staff have begun to work with architects to look at what a new Hadley could look like and will present early ideas to the board next week. District 41 will hold a second community forum to provide more information on Thursday, April 25.


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