HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998 b. it! i lifite
Court �ee�desfor village in library dispute '
The Appellate Court also addressed Xinos' con- community. It's long-awaited, long-needed. It'll be
By Mary Odwazny tention that voters should have been told the library as good as it gets,"she said.
Senior Staff Writer could not be built without their approval or that a Library director Ruth Martin said she hopes the
yes vote meant the library actually would be built. village can proceed quickly to get the new library
But that "would have made the ballot question built and "provide a quality place where we can
The Illinois Appellate Court agrees with the vil- more,rather than less,confusing,"the court states. provide the quality information and assistance peo-
lage of Oak Brook that a new library can be built in The Appellate Court said a binding referendum p have come to expect."
the Sports Core. is not needed because it is an additional require- The village has conceptual plans, which wi`1l take
The court this week released its opinion that the ment that goes beyond the covenant requirements. about five months to develop into building plans.
Nov. 5, 1996, advisory referendum satisfies the Because the village got voter approval, the court After the project is bid and a contractor is selected,
requhements of the 197 covenant imposed on the doesn't need to decide whether a library is a recre- construction will take about one yeah
property when Paul Butler conveyed it to the vil- ational use,according to the opinion.
lage. The referendum asked voters to decide Xinos has 21 days to file for a rehearing or to ,`I have a fond hope that in the spring of 2000 we
whether the village should spend $3.5 million to petition to appeal the Supreme Court,village attor-
winmove into a new library,"Martin said
build a 24,000-square-foot library on 3 acres of the ney Dick Martens said. Xinos said Wednesday he The money put aside for the library has been
Sports Core. had not read the ruling in its entirety and had made earning interest, and village officials are hopeful
"The ballot proposition clearly sets forth the no decision, that the interest has kept pace with higher construe-
The
of the proposed building, the location on Village officials were delighted with the ruling. non costs. The present five-year plan has $3.76
which it is to be constructed and the proposed "I'm absolutely thrilled," Village President million earmarked for the construction, arahitec-
cast,"the court states. Karen Bushy said. "Paul Butler would be very tural. and furnishing, and the plan now being
A Circuit Court judge ruled in September in happy. He loved children and loved therenidea of developed puts that number at $3.98 million, vil-
favor
ii
favor of Oak Brook resident Constantine Xinos, having childuse the Sports Core" lage manager Stephen Witch said. 1,-,;
who claimed in a March 1997 suit that building a The decision "validates all of our efforts," The village pays Martens $71,000 a year
library violated the covenant on the property and Library Commission President Roberta Petz said. 1,000 hours of legal work.His work on.the ,
that the referendum was not binding. "The new library is going to be wonderful for the will be paid out of that retainer: , ;