Glen Ellyn parks argues over rec center

A call for an external audit on a project that has gone about $4 million over a referendum passed by Glen Ellyn residents and then paid for by a bond issued in August was rejected by the park district's board Monday, leading to an exchange among commissioners that ended with people in attendance walking out and admonishing board President Sandy Minogue.

Melissa Creech introduced the measure because she said she was concerned with several change orders of more than a board-imposed $20,000 limit sent through without board approval since the project began.

Construction costs for Ackerman Sports and Fitness Center, scheduled to open with a dedication Jan. 23, have risen to about $11.2 million. A 2006 referendum had set aside $7.4 million for the facility. Creech said Monday was the first time she had heard of many of the change orders. She said "mismanagement" of the project led her to ask for the audit.

Commissioner Jay Kinzler said this mismanagement included discrepancies between bid requests and the architect's proposals.

"It made me wonder how you could figure on the cost of a project when different parts of the building were left out of the bid process," he said.

Commissioner Ray Aubrey dismissed any concerns of the cost overruns, saying "It is what it is."

"I was part of this process to approve to build it bigger and build it right," he said. "The last thing I wanted to do is spend $7.4 million and have it be wrong. We talked to people who are going to use it. Because of that, we built it bigger and more useful. And, guess what? It costs more money."

Aubrey said he had the utmost confidence in Executive Director Cory Atwell's decisions to approve change orders.

Commissioner Julia Nephew, however, was not convinced and said the events shook her confidence in the staff.

"I'm appalled at Director Atwell's failure to report (change orders) to the board," she read in a statement at the meeting. "Trust has to be earned. This failure to report change orders as directed makes it difficult for me to trust that the staff can make important decisions."

Commissioner Edward Hess said the lack of trust is unfounded and that Creech, Nephew and Kinzler have opposed the project from the start.

"I think the cat is out of the bag on why you're so intent on trying to stop the Ackerman project and trying to find blame for it when there has been nothing found out of the ordinary," he said.

Near the end of an hourlong discussion about the audit, Minogue accused Nephew and Creech of plotting to stop the project.

"Every single day you come up with another report that you want," she said. "I am appalled by the things the two of you have said tonight. I'm so upset with you right now I can't even think. You can sit there with that little smirk on your face. The way you talk to this board is appalling."

Glen Ellyn resident Jim Markby said the comments surprised him.

"I'm stunned at her response to what I feel were very valid questions," he said.