A contentious meeting last night wasn’t enough to convince leaders in Elmhurst to allow a re-do on a controversial vote.
A 2024 referendum approved by Elmhurst voters included plans for a new bandshell at Wilder Park, but a petition with over a thousand signatures was seeking a new vote on the plans this November.
“People voted for the project. However, the referendum never stipulated a location for the bandshell, nor did it stipulate a location for the bathrooms on the prairie path. So to infer that somehow, 14,000 people signed up to put a bandshell in front of Wilder Mansion is absurd.”
But Elmhurst Park District Board members disagreed, with President Kevin Graf accusing voters of not paying attention during the voting process.
“While an advisory referendum may be appropriate in some circumstances, I don’t believe they are the appropriate mechanism for revisiting an individual board decision after that process has taken place. For that reason, I will be voting no.”
Five of seven board members did, meaning plans to put the bandshell on the Wilder Mansion’s east lawn roll on.
