State lawmaker files more bills to address Lincoln-Way D-210

NEW LENOX – A state lawmaker has filed more legislation in response to the financial problems of Lincoln-Way High School District 210 and the hundreds of parents outraged over the district officials’ decision to shut down a school.

State Rep. Margo McDermed, R-Mokena, filed House Bill 4309 to create an inspector general position at the Illinois State Board of Education.

She also has filed House Bill 4322, which would require school boards to appoint a district advisory committee to advise and make recommendations to board members before they decide to shutter a building.

The legislation is two of four filed with the state because of the situation at the Lincoln-Way School District, where board members decided to close North High School in an effort to reduce multimillion-dollar budget deficits.

State Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park, filed a bill Oct. 2 that aims to make the school closure process more transparent and give residents more public input.

McDermed previously filed a resolution to have the Illinois auditor general conduct a performance audit for Lincoln-Way.

As with that resolution, McDermed said her recent bills grew out of the town hall meeting she had Sept. 28 with Lincoln-Way residents. Residents at the meeting complained about what they said was poor communication from board members, and said the decision to close North seemed forced.

Under House Bill 4309, the ISBE inspector general would have the power to investigate allegations or incidents of waste, fraud and financial mismanagement from school districts, board members or contractors. The position would be appointed by ISBE, but the office would remain independent of the state board.

“The Illinois State Board of Education has no way to investigate anything that happens to a school,” McDermed said.

House Bill 4322 would not only require the creation of a district advisory committee but also require that committee to gather information about each facility within a school district, such as enrollment projections, building capacity and conditions, student spending costs and programs.

Lincoln-Way officials have worried about the redundancy in costs if McDermed’s state audit resolution passes. They are moving forward with audits targeting past and present finances.

McDermed said Lincoln-Way would have to agree with the Illinois auditor general to have an audit performed. If the district goes through with its own audit, the board does not have to agree with her resolution, she said.

“I see [my resolution] as an incentive for them to pursue an audit. The last situation we want is no audit,” she said.

A call left for Board President Kevin Molloy was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.