Setting the Record Straight on Ackerman Sports Complex

In a previous post, I stated that I have received contradictory reports on the costs for Ackerman Sports Complex, ranging from $10.5M to $12M.

At Tuesday's meeting, a resident asked about this discrepancy. In response, as reported in the Glen Ellyn News, President Minogue said “Well, I can say that some of the information that Commissioner Creech puts out is not correct, so that would be a beginning.”

I would like to address this comment.

In November 2006, voters approved a $11.4M referendum which included $7.4M for ASC. When I was elected to the Board I was surprised to learn that the total had grown to $10.4M. I asked Director Atwell to explain this change, and received this July 2009 memo breaking down the history of the project.

The memo shows that ASC was always going to cost a minimum of $8.4M, with $1M of site work costs intended to be paid out of additional non-referendum bonds. From there, the scope of the project changed considerably, adding space for batting cages, a climbing wall, a fitness room, and increasing the size of the turf field.

At the June 17, 2008 board meeting, Director Atwell expressed concerns about financing the growing project. This was not an agenda item and took place after executive session, when all members of the public, myself included, had left the meeting. The Board discussed eliminating features, but ultimately chose to borrow more money instead.

When the project was bid in Fall 2008, minutes show that it was then a $9.2M project without contingency funds. Director Atwell's memo describes other changes made during the Village permitting process, which brought the total to $10.5M, which includes a $500,000 contingency fund.

To pay for these increases, the Board was required to take out $4M in non-referendum bonds on May 5, 2009, 15 minutes before myself, Jay and Julia were sworn in. Though it was not publicly stated at the time, the board intended for $3M of these funds to be used for ASC. Because of limits on municipal borrowing, the GEPD cannot take out additional non-ref bonds until 2013. Property taxes will increase in 2010 by $180,000 to start paying for the new bonds.

During our budgeting process, I requested a financial statement that showed revenues and expenses by account number (we usually receive statements broken down by funds, which can have many accounts charging to them). This statement (dated 10-23-2009 and referred to by staff as the Commissioner Creech Report) included a line item for Ackerman Park. After subtracting $36,929 for other known 2008 expenses at the park, this showed that the estimated ASC cost was now $12,040,162.

Surprised by this number, I questioned staff about this and was told that the number was accurate, and that I would need to ask Director Atwell about the reason for the increase. Director Atwell said the project still cost $10.5M and that staff had estimated too high. After asking these questions, our 2009 and projected 2010 fund balances in several accounts changed by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I have since learned that $130,000 is being spent on furniture and equipment for ASC that was never budgeted, bid or approved by the board. Additionally, staff told me that hundreds of thousands of dollars in change orders have been made. After asking about this, two change orders have now been presented to the board for approval. However, the work has already been completed.

I still do not have a complete accounting of the extent of spending and change orders on ASC. It is now clear that it is significantly more than the $10.5M total reported to the Board.