Missing Most of Sun City

Thousands of Kane County residents were incorrectly told eligibility
requirements for school board vacancy.

That happened after Huntley School District 158 Board member Jim Carlin resigned.

Was it deliberate or just carelessness?

School Board President Shawn Green issued a press release announcing the school board vacancy. Among the replacement requirements was the following:

“A registered voter in the State of Illinois and McHenry County.”

This had potential applicants believing that if they lived in Kane County, they would not be eligible.

Considering that neighboring Carpentersville School District 300 has a limit on how many people may serve from each of its townships, Kane County’s Rutland Township residents could easily have thought themselves ineligible to apply for the vacancy.

But Huntley does not have the same restrictions as District 300.

Not that any normal person, that is, someone who might be interested in serving on the board, but who had never run for the office, would know that.

Who are the people who live in the Kane County portion of Huntley?

99% of them are from Sun City, an over-55 community that overwhelmingly
voted against the last tax hike referendum.

To serve on the Huntley school board, one must live in District 158 and be a registered voter in either Kane or McHenry County.

But taxpayers would never know that from Green’s press release or the subsequent report in the Northwest Herald:

”To be eligible, residents must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a resident of Illinois and District 158 since at least April 2006, and a registered voter in McHenry County.”

Minority board members Larry Snow and Aileen Seedorf asked for a postponement to give Sun City residents a chance to apply, but Northwest Herald Tom Musick wrote,

“But others said no one had raised the issue before the deadline.”

That’s a rather incredible answer, considering all the information indicated Kane County residents were ineligible to apply.

Was it another sheer coincidence that the press release announcing the board vacancy never made it up on Huntley District 158’s web site?

It might be noted that Green’s wife works in the school district’s technology department in the central administration building.

But, that would be suggesting a conspiracy and we know from the length of time the board took in closed session that a conspiracy to replace Carlin with former school board member and president Mike Skala couldn’t possible exist.

Still there was no surprise Thursday night when the District 158 board majority voted to give their friend, Mike Skala, the board vacancy position.

After all, he did beat out Linda Moore, Seedorf’s running mate for fourth place by one vote.

Moore, David Larkin and Paul Troy applied for the appointment.

And the Daily Herald’s Jameel Naqv reported,

“(Aileen) Seedorf said three board members announced their intention of voting for Skala at the outset of the board’s closed-session discussion.”

But Tony Quagliano, a member of the board majority, said,

”I can assure you, each one of you was given thorough consideration. There was no predetermination.”

The article concludes, “Board President Shawn Green said he would make it a priority to release an audio recording of the closed session meeting to clear up the controversy.”

Skala was ousted from the board in April after ten years of service by Aileen Seedorf, Kevin Gentry and Jim Carlin.

Since then, Skala’s wife Carol, a teacher at Huntley High has been elected secretary of the local teachers’ union.

As far as graduation rates go, Huntley High School now ranks 13th out of 14 high schools in McHenry County.


Comments

Missing Most of Sun City — 2 Comments

  1. I find it interesting that you have a name link for all the candidates except Linda Moore. Are you afraid of people researching her connection her husband’s company which was responsible for the toxic fluid spill last winter? Heck, even some no name guy got a link! But not the controversial Linda Moore. At least you are consistent in protecting your close friends. And one more thing – weren’t you the guy who said wrote the following on the NWHerald site:
    Cal Skinner wrote on Oct 19, 2007 10:09 PM:
    “So, appoint Mike Skala. He got the next highest number of votes.”

    Keep backpedalling and protecting your friends Cal. In that regard, your doing great.

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