File photo
File photo
The Oswego Village Board has voted to move forward on the construction of a $750,000 outdoor entertainment venue.
By a 4-2 vote, board members recently approved a $72,000 architect and engineering contract with Itasca-based Williams Architects to design the venue. The approval comes despite a growing level of opposition from some bothered by the fact that the project is coming in the middle of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.
But in throwing his support behind the plan, Oswego Village President Troy Parlier pointed to what he saw as several “safety nets” to deal with any revenue shortages coming about as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
“I feel we are in strong fiscal shape to weather this," Parlier told the Chicago Tribune. "If we feel a need to cut additional programming, we can start on a list of identified non-essential items provided by department heads that total $870,000. If we still need to look further, we can look at delaying or removing items from the list of capital improvement projects. I feel we are in a good position to weather the storm and provide all services budgeted for our community.”
Among the trustees rejecting the plan as tone deaf was Luis Perez.
“This is my fifth year at the dais to put things into context,” Perez said. “It is my first time I will be voting no on the budget. It falls forwardly and directly on the band shell.”
By the same 4-2 vote, the board passed a $49.8 million budget for fiscal year 2021 with the outdoor stage for the venue listed in a $52 million capital improvement plan that pinpoints projects for the next five years in the village.
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