Dear Park District residents

Dear Park District residents, In recent weeks the Plainfield Park District has taken under consideration an important lease agreement that exists with St. John First English Evangelical Lutheran Church. This agreement, which governs the use of approximately 15 acres of Church property, was first signed into effect in December of 2012. The relationship that we have fostered with the Church has been part of a larger design. The park district had planned to develop this land, adding improvements and creating a new public park. However, during the time I have been involved with the project it has become evident that the conditions of the lease, and the scale of the development, are not in the best interests of the district. This claim deserves further elaboration. As currently written, the lease requires that the Plainfield Park District bear half the cost for improvements made to certain Church property while the park infrastructure is being installed. This property includes the driveway and parking lot. It is my view that this portion of the lease provides the Church with excessive authority to allocate district funds to advance an essentially private interest. As written, the Church would have the authority to move forward on any improvements to these areas, billing the park district for half the cost without any need for prior consent. Though I understand the reasoning put forward by the St. John’s Church in favor of this provision, I do not believe it is an appropriate use of taxpayer’s dollars at this time. We simply cannot permit the issuance of a blank check to any entity that is unaccountable to the general public. It has long been my view, a view that I have written about previously, that this park district must prioritize fiscal responsibility. Our obligation is to protect the interests of all residents, not fund ventures that benefit only a few. With a high price tag in the neighborhood of a million dollars, I feel it is time to move on from this particular park development and to direct our attention elsewhere. I support terminating the lease with St. John’s and finding new, more acceptable ways of spending public funds. Sincerely, Peter Hurtado