Two of Five Lots Offered on by Kruth

The unofficial citizen frontrunner of the proposed recreation complex project Terry Kruth and associated donors have an approved offer to purchase two of the five parcels available without village funds. Kurth said he went forward with the purchase of the two lots in order to convince the seller to wait for a June 30 closing on the other lots after the deadline of January 31 passed.

Board trustee Jason Fendrick said he felt the village board should have had the opportunity to weigh in on the negotiations that led to the purchase of the two parcels. “we should have had a part of what the condition was to extend it” he said, “we should have had the opportunity to decide whether or not we want to continue at that time and now I’m feeling like this was not a show of good faith.”

Fendrick said he felt this point of the negotiations may have been planned. “Somebody was looking to get us in when we indicated it was going to take us longer than he liked,” he said, “he had his own endgame in mind and he executed that endgame, I’m out”

Board trustee Ryan Czyzewski said he disagreed with Fendrick’s analysis. “I think you’re getting a little conspiratorial on this one,” he said, “the village was not the party with the offer on the property it was (Kurth) and his group had the offer on the property.”

Board attorney Bryan Kleinmaier said this change only violates one small part of the term sheet approved at the last meeting, changing the single land purchase to one from the original seller and Kurth.

Board trustee Cathy Scott made a motion to not execute the term sheet the board approved at last month’s meeting.

Board trustee Ryan Czyzewski said he wanted to move forward and continue to execute the term sheet, seeing it as an opportunity to get more questions answered about the project. “there’s some fear behind some of these items that we need to look in. two, there’s the financial concern and cost” Czyzewski said, “I’d like to continue the process of negotiating in good faith and look for more information and see if this is beneficial to the village as a whole moving on.”

Gauger said he wants to move forward with the term sheet as a way to get more questions answered about the property and how the village feels about the project. “Money is great but we need the time to consider it properly, get the public more involved.”

Scott and Fendrick voted to approve the motion and not execute the term sheet. The rest of the board voted to deny the motion, so it did not pass. The board plans to present the term sheet to Kurth to sign.

Fendrick said he did not support the purchase of the land if the village would not have ownership of all the lots. Klienmaier said that questions still needed to be worked out, but the required $300 thousand contribution by the village to build a football field would not have to be followed if the land for the football field was no longer owned by the village. “That is what I’d say still to be determined, and based on the negotiations that would occur between the parties” Kleinmaier said.

Kurth clarified that even with the purchase of two lots, he still intends to pass them on to the village as he originally planned. “Yes, the intention is all five lots would go to the village,” he said “but with the delay and everything it put me behind the eight ball with Dewitt (seller)”

Scott expressed frustration at the situation. “This is just too confusing I’m sort of over it” she said, “to me it just seems meaningless now with him pulling out and buying two lots.”

Kurth said he disagrees, that planning was put in and the village wants a recreation facility. “I think I’ve been up front in trying to share a vision of what it is” Kurth said, “you guys sit and talk about things but you’re not pragmatic.”

Board trustee Nate Gauger said the planning can only go so fast. “I’d rather work with all the parties and go through the term sheet and figure it out,” he said, “it might be 15 years before there’s a pool there but at least there’s some sort of template in place.”

Kleinmaier advised that although the board should be involved and aware as negotiations go on, having the whole board sit in on all negotiations was likely to become cumbersome. “it’s important that everything comes back to the village board as far as negotiations.”

Board trustee Brett Halverson compared this potential project to other park projects, saying much less expensive projects are waiting for surveys and community feedback before moving forward. “When we as a municipal entity act, I think that we need to be including the public in a much bigger way” he said, “this is a major major project that’s going to change the face of the village, that’s going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money.”

Kleinmaier said if it’s June and the village cannot or will not stay in the deal, the other three parcels stay on the market and the Kurth’s two could be developed into a football field independently by a nonprofit.

Village president Randy Little said he would like to have a public hearing to gauge public opinion on the project at the next meeting. Czyzewski said it might be better to have more information about the cost of the project before holding a public hearing.