Excerpts from the KaneCountyChronicle.com:
The Fox River and Countryside Fire Protection District voted unanimously Monday to reject an offer from representatives of an alcohol and drug treatment center to accept $50,000 in three installments as part of an agreement to drop its opposition.
“This does not even come close to covering what our expenses are for our citizen,” trustee Chuck Dunham said.
Maxxam Partners LLC sought the special use permit to convert the former Glenwood School for Boys, at 41W400 Silver Glen Road, into a 120-bed private pay, luxury treatment center. Maxxam petitioner Steven Marco and attorney Keith Brown made the offer at the fire district’s regular board meeting. Brown said the petitioner would also pay all ambulance and fire calls to the facility. Marco said the private, for-profit facility would be very exclusionary, not taking clients who are very ill to ensure consistency of care.
Maxxam’s petition was recently recommended to be denied by the Kane County Zoning Board of Appeals and the Kane County Development Committee. Officials said they expected the issue to go before the county board for final action.
Public comment at the meeting sought the fire district’s opposition, out of concern for additional ambulance calls to the facility could jeopardize residents if they have to wait for mutual aid when they have a medical emergency.