River Forest Township Supervisor John Becvar met in closed session with the River Forest Village Board on June 22 to discuss the purchase or lease of real property perhaps indicating that Village of River Forest might be considering buying or leasing the River Forest Civic Center building located at 8020 W. Madison St.
The move to executive session was, according to the motion to go into executive session, made under the exception to the Open Meetings Act that allows governmental bodies to discuss “the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body including meetings held for the purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should be acquired.”
Becvar also leads the Board of Managers of the River Forest Civic Center Authority which owns the Civic Center building. The River Forest Center Civic Authority was established in 1984 to oversee the Civic Center building which was purchased from Laidlaw Publishing.
Neither Becvar nor River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci have responded to multiple requests for comment.
The Civic Center was a source a controversy last year when the Civic Center’s Board of Managers led by Becvar, wrested control of leasing and managing the Civic Center building from its chief tenant, the River Forest Community Center. The Civic Center Board of Managers, which by law is made up of members of the River Forest Township Board, owns and manages the Civic Center but for decades the Community Association handled subleasing at the building. After months of contentious negotiations and some contentious public meetings, the Board of Managers took back control of subleasing and exerted control over the building.
Becvar has said the building is in need of expensive upgrades, such as a new roof and perhaps a new HVAC system, in the not too distant future leading many to wonder how such repairs could be paid for. The Civic Center Authority has no power to levy property taxes thus limiting its ability to raise funds for major building repairs and upgrades. Some believe the village, or perhaps, the Park District of River Forest, both of which have independent taxing authority, are better positioned to pay for or raise the money to pay for needed repairs and upgrades to the Civic Center leading to speculation that handing the building over to the village could be a solution.
Jonathan Livingston, new executive director of the Community Center, said talks between Becvar and the River Forest village board could be a positive development.
“I’m eager to hear more about the discussion when the time comes because I do think that it could be a very promising and potentially exciting development,” Livingston said.
Livingston is also an elected member of the school board at Oak Park and River Forest High School.
Anne Dwyer, who is now the acting board president of the Community Center, said that collaboration among the various entities is the best way forward.