Only 1 District 86 Incumbent Running So Far In Election

HINSDALE, IL — As of Thursday morning, only one incumbent whose term is expiring on the Hinsdale High School District 86 board has filed paperwork to run in the April 6 election. Another incumbent, Keith Chval, told Patch he would not seek a second term. The plans of the other two are uncertain.

Tamakia "TJ" Edwards of Darien, who was appointed to her position in the summer, submitted petitions earlier this week to win the seat in her own right. She replaced then-board President Nancy Pollak, who resigned and moved to Michigan.

Edwards is the chief of staff of the Illinois Capital Development Board. She previously worked for the U.S. General Services Administration.

As of Thursday morning, the only other candidate who has filed for the board is Mark Pinnow of Willowbrook. He is the director of financial systems and analysis at Titan International, according to his LinkedIn page.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Pinnow was the co-chairman of the campaign for the $15 million referendum in November in Willowbrook-based Gower School District 86. Voters passed the referendum, which replaced existing bonds for school improvements.

Besides Chval and Edwards, the other incumbents who have not filed for re-election are board President Kevin Camden and member Marty Turek, according to the DuPage County Clerk's Office. They have until next Monday to do so.

In late 2019, the board faced vocal opposition when it approved changes to the science curriculum. That battle later led Camden to announce he would no longer respond to constituent emails, saying his comments had been "bastardized." He later loosened that policy.

In September, apparently upset with public comments, Camden, who replaced Pollak as president, announced he would move such feedback to the end of meetings, rather than near the beginning. No members objected.