The Hampshire village board this week approved the release of impact fees in the amount of $99,702 to Community Unit School District 300 and the amount of $19,681 to the Hampshire Township Park District.
According to a memo from Chuck Bumbales, District 300 assistant superintendent of operations, to the village: “The school district is asking for all impact fees collected to this point to be released to the district for two different projects at Hampshire High School. This request parallels the one we made two years ago related to the parking lot renovation work at Hampshire Elementary School and Hampshire Middle School.”
“We are doing parking lot replacement in the front lot at Hampshire High School,” Bumbales continued. “The lot is nine years old and in need of total replacement. We are also looking to resurface all of the tennis courts on the property. During their nine years of use, the tennis teams have grown in size and the courts have become a destination for village residents on the weekends. The courts have rather substantial fault lines. We will be repairing heaving posts as well as resurfacing the entire 10 tennis court area.”
The park district plans to use the impact fees it receives for erecting lighting prediction and warning equipment systems at Ralph Seyller Memorial Park, Bruce Ream Memorial Park and Orris Ruth Community Park.
At a previous village board meeting, Laura Schraw, executive director of the park district, said the system has a horn that emits a sound to warn when the park should be cleared. It also has a slow strobe light that continues to flash while the warning is in place. It emits an “all clear” sound when the threat of lighting has passed.
The system is designed to alert individuals to conditions favorable for a lighting strike even though there may be no visible evidence of lightning. The system is manufactured by Thor Guard Inc. in Sunrise, Florida.
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter.