The City Council rejected a motion to ask voters in a spring referendum whether they would support moving the local library as part of a downtown redevelopment project.
Des Plaines voters have twice rejected–in 1992 and 1995–referendum proposals to support rebuilding the Des Plaines Public Library on its current site.
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Ald. Carla Brookman on Monday night said the city should present a new proposal, asking whether the library should relocate downtown to anchor a redevelopment covering more than 6 acres of the central business district.
Following debate, aldermen deadlocked on a recommendation to table the referendum proposal for another two weeks. Mayor Paul Jung broke the 4-4 vote on delaying action, and the council eventually voted 6-2 to nix the idea.
“We’ve already had two referendums which were rejected,” said resident Lynne Lohr. “I don’t think going over the will of the people is right.”
LR Development Co., which the city hired to study the redevelopment proposal, is expected to lay out details of the plan, including cost projections, next month.