University Park officials are asking voters whether the village should create a park district with a levy not to exceed $800,000 in its first fiscal year, after a similar measure ended in a tie vote in 2022.
In the November 2022 election, the measure to create the University Park Park District failed with 815 yes and 815 no votes, according to election data from Cook and Will counties. Any referendum ending in a tie automatically fails, according to the Will County clerk’s office.
Mayor Joseph Roudez said he chose to bring the measure back because he believes a park district would greatly benefit the village. He said it would alleviate the maintenance burden on Public Works employees responsible for the village’s five parks and public recreational amenities: Palmer Park, Craig Park, Pine Lake, Riegel Farms and the village’s 18-hole golf course.
“We’ve got our residential areas within the extra burden of them having to maintain the parks, maintain the Pine Lake, maintain the golf course. It takes those things away from them and it gives the concentration back to the constituent services and the community,” Roudez said.
Roudez said the village has been without a governing body maintaining the village’s park systems or it’s programs for children, seniors and veterans. For Roudez, a park district will bring a better quality of life for residents, citing the failure of past park and recreation systems for the lack of improved amenities such as a field turf and green infrastructure.
“I was here when the park and recreation thing was up and going,” Roudez said. “It has failed the community and parks and rec was a wreck, and it didn’t provide the services.”
Trustee Jewell Thompson worries adding another taxing body would place an unnecessary burden on taxpayers already facing historically high property tax rates. At the same time, the village’s water provider, Aqua Illinois, has also requested a rate hike that could raise residential water bills by as much as $30 a month. Instead of a park district, Thompson favors reinstating a Parks and Recreation Department that functions under the village’s governance and adheres to its budget constraints.
A park district would be an independent governmental entity with greater autonomy in decision-making and the authority to levy taxes for managing parks and recreational facilities.
“We only really have two parks and a couple of top lots. We don’t have a building, we don’t have a park facility. We don’t have the infrastructure,” Thompson said. “I want to have a park and recreation department. I don’t want to add another taxing body that’s taxing to the people.”
Roudez estimates the park district will cost taxpayers roughly $12 or $13 a month, which he said is the difference between buying a 12 pack of beer compared to a six pack.
“With just the general homestead exemption, it’s going to be like $12.91 or $13 a month, or $156 annually,” he said. “So the sacrifice that I make, instead of getting me a case of Modelo or Stella, I get a six pack.”
The increase will not affect seniors with a freeze on their taxes or a veteran with 70% disability, he said.
With a park district, Roudez envisions Riegel Farm being better maintained. The farm has seen restoration efforts in recent years following a $600,000 grant aimed at revitalizing the once-active site, which also housed the former Parks and Recreation Department. He also hopes to see Palmer Park built out with pavilions and a walking track.
The referendum was never presented to the Village Board before reaching the November ballot. Roudez said it was more important to let voters decide.
To get the measure on the ballot, Roudez collaborated with a grassroots community organization and received assistance from two trustees, Janelle McFadden and Karen Lewis, to gather petition signatures.
“Give them the option, give them the best information possible,” Roudez said.
Thompson is concerned voters may not fully grasp the tax implications of establishing a park district. She seeks to clarify the differences between a park department and a park district before votes are tallied, emphasizing a department would impose a smaller financial burden on residents.
Roudez said the previous park department operated with a budget of over $1 million dollars, while the proposed district would have a budget of $800,000. He argues that despite the larger budget, the former department still struggled to maintain and improve basic facilities.
“And look at the facilities. The pool is shut down. The barn is shut down. Palmer Park doesn’t have a pavilion, doesn’t have any amenities. Come on. It’s time to do something different,” he said.
Voters have the option to vote on the referendum up until the polls close on Nov. 5. Early voting began earlier this month, and the deadline to apply to vote by mail is Oct. 31.
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