Self-Help Asks City For Room At West School

Meeting Tonight Self-Help Asks City For Room At West School A social service organization that provides food and clothing for indigent Des Plaines residents may move into a new home in West Elementary School, an alderman said Mon- day. The Self-Help Closet, which currently operates from a local church, must vacate the premises, and its officers have asked the city if space in West School is available. City Council’s public works committee will begin deliberations at a meeting at 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) in room 101 of the Civic Center, 1420 Miner St. Speaking for himself only, Public Works Chairman Bud Bonk (2d) said that "this fine organization” is making a legitimate request for use of city- owned space. "They’re a fine group that does many worthwhile things for the community,” Bonk said. "But we’re going to have to take a good look at their request and bounce it around the committee before any specific recommendations are made.” The city’s Public Works Department operates West School, 1012 Thacker St. Bonk said that any non-profit organiza- tion’s request to use space in the former Des Plaines Elementary School Dist. 62 school—for free or at a rental cost—will have to be evaluated carefully to ensure that the organization is truly en- titled to consideration. Bonk also said that considera- tions will have to be made for the fact that it remains uncertain what action the city will take on the school, which it acquired from Dist. 62 for $1 in early 1986. Extensive renovation of the old building is one option being weighed "Sometime in August we’ll decide what direction we’re going at the school,” Bonk said. "If we have people in the school, renova- tion may make it necessary for them to be moved around This will lead to inconvenience And additional people operating in the building may also make the work more expensive. In short, we ll have to look at a lot of things ”