LTHS Willow Springs Appraisal Under Wraps For Now
LA GRANGE, IL – Lyons Township High School has received the appraisal report for its 70-acre vacant property in Willow Springs.
But the school on Monday decided against releasing the document to the public.
Last year, the school worked toward selling the land to an industrial buyer. But it ended that effort after the village of Willow Springs and other public bodies objected.
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Patch requested the appraisal last week.
In its response, the school said the appraisal report was “currently” exempt from disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act.
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Asked when the report would be disclosed, the school’s spokeswoman, Mary Lin Muscolino, said in a phone interview, “It was not shared with me at this time when the appraisal would be publicly available.”
Justifying its denial, the school cited two exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act, which requires the release of most public records.
One exception was for preliminary drafts and notes that are used before a public body makes a decision.
The other one applies to records and information relating to real estate purchase negotiations until the talks have been completed. School officials have not indicated they are in any type of negotiations for the land.
In getting the appraisal under current zoning, school board members said it was a key piece of missing information.
Two years ago, the board quietly got an appraisal for industrial uses. An appraisal put the land’s value at $68 million. Under current zoning, the land is expected to be worth much less.
Through much of 2022, school officials privately courted developer Bridge Industrial. Closed session recordings showed the school board purposely kept other public bodies such as the village of Willow Springs and Pleasantdale School District 107 out of the loop.
Once the details went public, Willow Springs residents opposed the idea of an industrial development next to houses and Pleasantdale Elementary School. Other towns also joined in opposition.
Just weeks before last April’s election, the board abandoned its effort to sell to an industrial developer. It later ousted its attorney involved in the process.
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