March 30, 2025
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Campton Township hosts free hot dog lunch at Corron Farm

Officials to take questions about the $17.2 million referendum on the April 1 ballot

By Brenda Schory
Sunset at the 208-acre Gray Willows Farm in Campton Hills. Campton Township is seeking voter support for a $17.2 million referendum April 1 for acquisition of new acres and the maintenance, development, rehabilitation and renovation of its existing open space properties.

Sunset at the 208-acre Gray Willows Farm in Campton Hills. Campton Township is seeking voter support for a $17.2 million referendum April 1 for acquisition of new acres and the maintenance, development, rehabilitation and renovation of its existing open space properties. (Provided by Campton Township)

The Campton Township Open Space Foundation is hosting a free hot dog lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29 at Corron Farm, 7N761 Corron Road, Campton Hills.

It’s not just about Ream’s hot dogs, but a question and answer session about the $17.2 million referendum on the April 1 consolidated election ballot.

Campton Township Supervisor John Kupar said the foundation will host the public with free root beer floats as they take questions about the open space referendum.

“I think it’s going to go just like the first referendum in 2001, which we won by a majority – 54% – and the second referendum, which we won by 76% affirmative,” Kupar said.

The foundation hosted a similar event March 25, offering free root beer floats at Luau Coffee in Campton Hills.

Kupar said about 50 people attended.

“A lot of residents had some excellent questions,” Kupar said.

He said he is hopeful for the referendum’s success.

“I think it’s going to go just like the first referendum in 2001, which we won by a majority – 54% – and the second referendum, which we won by 76% affirmative,” Kupar said.

In 2001, voters approved $18.7 million in bonds and in 2005, they approved $28.2 million, all for open space preservation.

The two bond issues allowed the township to buy and preserve 1,650 acres to maintain a rural residential environment.

“We’ve gotten a lot of good, positive feedback. We’ve gotten some criticism – but one overarching criticism is, ‘It’s not the right time,‘” Kupar said. “We want to continue what was started 25 years ago...Most people are understanding that when we buy open space, they have a voice as to what can be done with it so they can enjoy it.”

The referendum is not only for more acquisition of open space, but for the maintenance, development and rehabilitation of the acreage it already purchased.

“I think they’re actually catching on with the concept that open space is good for them, physically and mentally,” Kupar said. “Another comment I kind of like is that a lot of the people who are supporting the open space referendum say, ‘We moved here because of the open space. We want it to continue.‘”

The open space referendum is a 10-year bond issuance targeting a $0.23-cent tax rate for the bond and interest rate. Currently, the rate is just under 23 cents, at $0.228 cents.

According to Speer Financial Inc.’s calculations, the tax impact would be $286 a year on a house valued at $400,000.

Kane County