The Naperville Park District could place a referendum on the spring or fall ballot in 2026, seeking voter approval for additional funding for new projects that could potentially include a community activity center.
Brad Wilson, the park district’s executive director, recently discussed with NCTV17 the status of the referendum consideration, what is driving it, and the next steps that will lead to a decision on the possible ballot item.
Community meetings on the calendar for this fall
In recent years, the Naperville Park District has gathered feedback through a number of measures, including periodic community surveys. Last year’s indoor recreation space needs assessment, which identified several key takeaways, was another mechanism to gather community input.
Wilson said the park district is taking one additional step to get input from the community before any further referendum considerations are brought to the table.
“This fall, we’re going to be engaging the public on potential projects, gathering feedback that will then be shared with our board as they consider whether to place a potential question on a ballot in 2026,” Wilson said.
Dates and times for the community meetings have yet to be scheduled, Wilson said, but will be announced with more specificity soon.
“We’re likely looking at dates in October, although the dates have not yet been set,” he said. “I would expect later this month (in September) we will have more information that we will be able to share.”
Different funding options for capital projects considered
Improvements to the parks, indoor facilities, and other amenities within the Naperville Park District’s purview are routinely incorporated into the operating budget that is associated with the property tax levy assessed each year.
But larger projects, such as the construction of a community activity center, would fall outside the parameters of the park district’s regular operating budget because of the price tag. This would require a measure such as a referendum.
The park district has hired outside experts to assist in navigating the referendum discussion. Speer Financial is one such entity that is providing insight as considerations are contemplated. Wilson said a representative with the firm provided what he described as a “high-level overview” at a Finance Committee meeting last month.
“There are general obligation park bonds, there’s limited tax park bonds, and then there are those that are non-property tax supported,” Wilson said of the financial considerations that could play into funding large-scale capital projects.
The financial discussions have also included a look into the park district’s current debt obligations, and the remaining amount of allowable capacity under state law to take out additional debt.
“What we see is that the parks and facilities that we have in the community, and maintaining those existing parks and facilities, the non-referendum bonding authority that the park district has really needs to be used for maintaining what we already have,” Wilson said.
He added, “When we look at potential new projects that are beyond what our legal bonding authority is, that’s where we need to consider going to the community and see if the community would like these types of improvements and, if they would, support a bond referendum to do so.”
When the referendum might appear, how funds could be used
If the park board does decide to have a referendum on the March primary ballot, it will have to adopt a resolution in December to set in motion the state’s statutorily required timeline for placement. Another possibility is placement on the November ballot.
Wilson acknowledged indoor aquatics has been, and continues to be, a sought after amenity within the community.
“It is a theme that we have heard in the feedback that we received in past community surveys and when we engaged the community last year with the indoor space,” he said. “The interest in the community was for greater access for indoor aquatics.”
But, he added, referendum proceeds could be applied for other purposes, including remedying gymnasium and fitness space capacity issues that have been noted at Fort Hill Activity Center, among other possibilities.
“We’re excited to engage the community this fall and have some conversations around potential projects and the potential future indoor space,” Wilson said. “We really look forward to what the community has to say and use that information to make an informed decision.”
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