Campaign F Y I
The April 7, 2009 election was extremely important. There were serious issues and concerns shared by our community that were addressed at the beginning of our campaign.
Now the election is over, and the Board of Education created a special committee at the May BOE meeting to investigate communications and campaign “rumors.” Read more here…
More stories that were “In the News” found here…
Below is the Campaign FYI page as it was posted during our campaign. For further information, please click “BOE Meetings” and “2009 Election” found under Categories in the upper right corner of this site.
Consider these facts:
● September 10, 2008, the Board of Education approved a five-year loaded contract with the school superintendent. Five days later, the September 15, 2008 school board meeting reported an overall deficit of $1.4 million.
● Public comments that should be sought by a Board representing the people at no cost to the school district are limited during Board meetings to three minutes. June 13, 2007, Steve Miller of PMA informed the Board of Education what could happen if deficit spending continued. During that same meeting, the Board approved $90,000 public relations contract with vendor Unicom•ARC (District Dialogue) to “sell” District 113A a future tax referendum.
● School officials failed to post the two-year unexpired term for the April 7, 2009 election. Janet Hughes, Tim Goodwin, Karen Siston, and Al Malley tried to resolve the ballot error but the Board of Education failed to respond. February 23, 2009, a federal judge ruled in favor of Hughes, Goodwin, Siston, and Malley. Voters will decide all four seats at the April 7 election.
Check This Out!
Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), we requested and received the following information:
1. District 113A administrator salaries. FYI: This is the information we were given. Note there is no date or year listed here.
2. Employment contract for the school superintendent, 2008-2013. FYI: The current school board approved this contract at the September 10, 2008 meeting.
3. Employment contract for the assistant superintendent, 2008-2009.
4. Employment contract for director of student services, 2008-2009.
OTHER IMPORTANT FYI:
1. Read the truth about District Dialogue meetings on the website, Illinois Loop: The hidden agenda behind community surveys.
2. Ballot error letter from Board of Education. FYI: School officials learned of the ballot error on 2/10/09 but did not inform us nor the public at the 2/11/09 BOE meeting. Hughes, Goodwin, Siston, and Malley received a letter the next week about the ballot error on 2/17/09. Two days later, we received the same letter certified with a return receipt.
3. The candidate’s letter from the school superintendent given in October 2008 showing four seats for four year terms. Read more here…
4. Summons given to the defendants on February 20, 2009. Read more here…
MORE “FYI” COMING! We have about two dozen FOIA’s pending a response. Check back soon…
Hughes, Goodwin, Siston, and Malley can lead our school district in a new direction. Read more here…
Hughes, Goodwin, Siston, and Malley aim for excellence in education. Read more here…
Lemont’s winning school board picks,
We’re on the ballot as third through sixth.
Change we need to make our schools great,
Vote April 7th. Vote center and straight!
Vote for 4
1.
2.
3. Janet Hughes
4. Timothy L. Goodwin
5. Karen Siston
6. Al Malley
7.
8.
Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible. —Anonymous
Lemont-Bromberek CSD 113A is governed by a seven-member Board of Education. Each member is an elected official who serves a four-year term of office or is appointed when a vacant seat occurs. School board elections are held in the spring of each odd calendar year.
The purpose of the board is to set and monitor the school district budget, review and amend district policies, and hire the district superintendent.
I wish to make a comment regarding the article entitled, “Voters to Decide Four Open School District Seats” which was published in the February 27, 2009 edition of the Lemont Reporter/Met. I believe it is our right as voters in the upcoming election for the Lemont-Bromberek School District 113A Board of Education to be informed and aware of this ballot discrepancy. The judge’s decision to grant the voters the ability to choose all four school board seats is a positive directive. The voters deserve the right to choose and elect the most competent and qualified individuals.
Congratulations to the running candidates Janet Hughes, Tim Goodwin, Karen Siston, and Al Malley for taking the corrective action to resolve this matter!
Gossip has been circulating based on rumors and misinformation.
We have no hidden agenda. We have repeatedly stated that we want transparency. The days of making parents and taxpayers wait around for an hour to an hour and a half, while the board goes to closed session, will be gone. Nothing, except what is mandated by law, will be discussed in a closed session.
We have never said we would cut teachers salaries. The teachers that I have met, and this was even before I sought this position, know that I feel they are on the low end of the pay scale. They are to be commended and have my support.
It has also been said that we wanted to outsource the custodial services. Once again that is absolutely false. We never, ever discussed it.
Our plan is to meet with the teachers, the administrators, and support staff. We want their input. They too have a vested interest in the schools.
The only group that should fear us are the holders of our bonds. They will not be getting a 9% return for much longer if I have any say.
Rather than repeat false rumors, why not just contact anyone of us. We will be glad to provide you with the documents to back up each and every one of our claims and then tell you where we stand.
We are parents and taxpayers volunteering our experience, time and skills to help make our schools great.
To be slandered repeatedly by a select group of closed minded individuals only proves that we need change.
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