Text of today's press release:
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Office of the Kane County State’s Attorney
JOHN A. BARSANTI, State’s Attorney
Kane County Judicial Center
General Offices: (630) 232-3500
37W777 Route 38 Suite 300
37W777 Route 38 Suite 300
Contact:
St. Charles, Illinois 60175
John Barsanti (630) 232-3500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ST. CHARLES SCHOOL BOARD VIOLATED OPEN MEETINGS ACT
June 26, 2007
After an investigation, the Kane County State’s Attorney has determined that members of the Board of Education of St. Charles School District 303 violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act when they voted April 11, 2005, in closed session to extend the contract of the superintendent. The closed session was part of the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting.
After careful consideration of the facts, including the Board’s recent ratification in open session of the contract extension, the state’s attorney has determined that the following actions to be taken by the Board would be an appropriate sanction:
· Issue a public apology for the Board’s violation
· Attend training on the Illinois Open Meetings Act
· Agree to release to the public a copy of the recording of the closed session during which the violation occurred
The Board has agreed to these sanctions.
The Board’s action on April 11, 2005, violated not only the provisions of the Act, but also the spirit of the Act, Kane County State’s Attorney John Barsanti said.
The Act requires that any action of a public body must be taken in open session, in public view.
A copy of the portion of the audio tape of the closed session during which the violation occurs is available to members of the media at the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office at the Kane County Judicial Center, Suite 300, 37W777 Route 38 in St. Charles Township. For a copy, please call Chris Nelson at (630) 444-2998 and be prepared to present in person a valid media credential.
2 comments:
Barb Erwin had complete control of the situation in St. Charles. She advised every step of the way for this Open Meeting violation. She convinced 3 outgoing board members to do this behind the scenes at their last meeting as an elected official. She has since hired 2 of the 3 former board members as employees of the school district!!
Good luck in Kentucky. Someone had better be watching her.
Dr. Erwin has over 30 years experience with the Open Meeting Law.
Board members come and go; most will do whatever the Superintendent advises.
If anyone should be held responsible for the predicament in which the STC board finds itself, it is Dr. Barbara Erwin.
Kudos to Board member Karla Ray for having the courage to vote against the extension, expose the violation, and accept the consequences even though she was not on the Board when the violation occurred.
Karla Ray stood up to Barbara Erwin and ended her reign of terror in St. Charles.
Who will do the same for Kentucky?
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