Sell Park Land Or Not? The Candidates Weigh In

Editor's Note: This is the ninth in a series of articles Lake Zurich Patch will provide about Village Board candidates' views on key issues within the village. All five candidates were given a questionnaire and had the same amount of time to prepare and submit their answers. Their answers are presented in their own words. The order of their responses will rotate with each article so that each candidate is fairly represented.

Five candidates are seeking to fill five available posts on the Lake Zurich Village Board in the Tuesday, April 5 consolidated election. 

Incumbent Tom Poynton and former Mayor John Tolomei are running as independents. Mark Ernst, Dana Rzeznik and Jennifer Talley are running as part of the LZ Vision party along with incumbent Kathleen Johnson, who is running unopposed for village clerk.

Following are their answers, in their own words, to the question:

Should the village consider selling any park land it currently owns and why or why not?

Jennifer Talley

Yes. We must involve the public in the choices we face. We saw the board vote “no” to selling the surplus part of Paulus Park, but they didn’t say what the options were so the public could make informed decisions.  I am opposed to tax increases until all other options including looking at all surplus property have been explored and the public supports the action.

John Tolomei

The village should not sell any of the park land it currently owns except for minor sales that result in uses that enhance recreational or entertainment benefits to the village.

Mark Ernst

The village is currently updating its open space master plan. We have to face the economic fact that we can’t afford to maintain all of our parks in a manner that they have been or should have been maintained.  We are facing tough choices and it is incumbent on the trustees to level with the residents and explain the financial condition the village is facing.

Before any sale of surplus park land or service reductions, I propose town-hall type meetings to present all of the facts to the residents including current financial condition and options for raising revenue such as sale of village assets and reducing expenses. We promise to be forthright, frank, and direct explaining options so residents can make informed choices.

I believe you must level with the residents, explain what you are proposing, why you are proposing it and what the options are if the residents don’t want to sell surplus park land.

Tom Poynton

Recently, the village board, responding to a suggestion from the village administrator, considered a proposal to sell a very small portion of Paulus Park to enhance development of the Northeast corner of Routes 12 and 22. The board voted 6 to 0 against selling of any portion of this particular park because it was not in the best interests of the residents to do so.

The village does own properties that it could possibly declare as “excess” or “surplus” and offer those properties for sale but only after following the required processes to do so. The potential sale that will help reduce some park-related expenses and the resultant revenue stream will help us prop up our reserve fund which has dipped lower than we would like it to be.  This would have to be done in an open and transparent manner.

Dana Rzeznik

I would not support selling any village park property to generate funds for current operations (i.e. to balance a budget). However, some underutilized parks are a drain on village resources and if sold, the proceeds could be used towards a specific need that the village is not able to fund.  As we have learned in the past, the residents need and have to be involved in the decision making that affect the whole village.