Winnetka, News

Reworked deal allows New Trier students, staff to continue to use nearby Metra lot

An agreement between the Village of Winnetka and New Trier High School that allows the school’s students and staff to use parking spaces will continue after an amendment that lowers the cost to the district was approved by the Village Council on Tuesday evening, Feb. 4.

The amended 10-year agreement will provide 312 Village-owned parking spaces to New Trier at an annual cost of $200,000 to the district for the first five years. After that, the rate will increase annually by either the CPI or 5 percent, whichever is lower.

According to a memo in the Village Council packet, most of the spaces are located in the Indian Hill Metra lot and others are in “various public rights of way near New Trier High School East Campus.”

Village Finance Director Tim Sloth said the agreement between the Village and New Trier was initially approved in December 2006. That agreement allowed New Trier to use 360 parking spaces at an initial rate of $132,360 annually, which increased by 5 percent each year.

This past year, Sloth said New Trier officials requested a review and renegotiation of the agreement. He said the school’s annual payment had increased to $310,956.

In response to questions from trustees, Sloth said the number of spaces is not actually being reduced as New Trier only used 312 spaces last school year.

“We have general information on where the parking was (per the original agreement),” he said. “There were no detailed maps included with the original agreement.”

Sloth also said that he and New Trier officials met and counted the spaces themselves to confirm what would be the proper amount. He added that he’s not sure how officials settled on the 360 number in the original contract.

Trustee Bob Dearborn noted that no New Trier student or staff member will lose the parking space that they have paid for.

Sloth added that a flat rate of $200,000 annually was decided on for multiple reasons, including “balancing that line of picking a revenue spot that’s fair to both entities.”

While she did support the amended contract, Trustee Tina Dalman said she had concerns that some New Trier students were parking in spaces that were not included in the contract, including private parking lots, which she said hurts local businesses.

“We need to ramp up our enforcement of that,” she said.

Village Manager Rob Bahan said he would pass those concerns along to Police Chief Brian O’Connell and noted that fines increase for someone who is found to be repeatedly parking illegally.


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Peter Kaspari

Peter Kaspari is a blogger and a freelance reporter. A 10-year veteran of journalism, he has written for newspapers in both Iowa and Illinois, including spending multiple years covering crime and courts. Most recently, he served as the editor for The Lake Forest Leader. Peter is also a longtime resident of Wilmette and New Trier High School alumnus.

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