The Park District of Forest Park board has notified Mayor Anthony Calderone that it has no interest at this time in purchasing any part of the Altenheim property.
The park board met in closed session for more than hour on May 20 to discuss the Altenheim property.
“I’ve informed both Mayor Calderone and Commissioner [Marty] Tellalian that the park district is not in a position to purchase any part of the Altenheim (property) at this time,” said Park Board President Cathleen McDermott.
In early May Calderone and Tellalian had a public spat over how the village should handle the Altenheim property.
Calderone had met with officials of Fenwick High School and Dominican University who were interested in purchasing the nearly eight acre piece of land the village owns behind the Altenheim German home, located at 7824 Madison.
The village had reached an agreement to sell the property to the West Cook YMCA, but that deal fell apart last year when the YMCA couldn’t raise the money to complete the purchase.
Tellalian has said that he favors some sort of joint use deal with the village or the park district maintaining ownership of the land.
McDermott sent Calderone a letter last week outlining the park board’s position. Monday night she said in a phone interview that she didn’t want to preclude any future options.
“We’ll be happy to discuss any ideas they might have if this Fenwick thing doesn’t go through,” McDermott said.
In other park board news, McDermott was unanimously re-elected park board president at the park board’s May meeting. John Doss was unanimously elected park board vice-president.
Jerry Sebesta, the park district’s part time treasurer for 25 years, is no longer working for the park district. The park board unanimously approved a resolution honoring Oak Park resident Sebesta, 65, who was not at the meeting.
“We as a board thank him for all his hard work and diligence for all the years,” said park board member Roy Sansone.
“The Board of Commissioners has just opted to move in a different direction and we wish him well,” McDermott said of Sebesta after the meeting.
