Immorality, Insults, Rumors and More at District 159 Board Meeting

Though residents voted down the divisive for a third time last week, events at the Mokena 159 Board of Education meeting Tuesday show the community remains divided on school issues.

Bill Yukich, a retired teacher and coach, addressed the board during public comments with a message of togetherness—at least to start with.

"I'm kind of upset with what seems to be going on with this big division between the people of our community," Yukich said. "And I think the election is over, and we have to come together."

But Yukich then accused the board of lame-ducking the meeting by acting on items with long-term ramifications, including acceptance of the resignations of two more administrators and reinstatement of another, rehiring two teachers and posting for an interim principal at Mokena Intermediate School.

"It's unethical and it's immoral for people who are lame ducks to sit there and put forth long-term decisions on a board that hasn't been seated yet," Yukich said. "I don't care which side you're on for the referendum or who you voted for. It's wrong for three members to put through important decisions, and it's wrong for four others to go along with it."

Board member Frank Ventura cut off Yukich to say he did not appreciate his remarks. Yukich told Ventura he could "come up and say it," and Ventura got up out of his seat, but was verbally restrained by board members and administrators.

Later, Ventura defended himself during members' comments.

"I do not appreciate someone equating my taking reasonable and responsible decisions on operations of the district as immoral. ... I was elected to a four-year term and that means I come to every meeting prepared to make appropriate decisions for the district."

Ventura also said misinformation in the form of a letter circulating in the community had cast him and his fellow board members in an "unfair" light. According to the letter, he said, administrators had taken a 20 percent raise while the district was making cuts, and that the board had approved paying health insurance for retired administrators. Both of these assertions were not true, he said. 

Administrators, Ventura said, have not received a pay increase for two years. He added that when the current board learned the district was paying health insurance for two retired administrators (payments approved by a previous board in 2001), the current board sought legal counsel to "make sure it did not occur again."

Outgoing board member Denise Falbo also said she found Yukich's remarks "insulting and degrading." 

"The people who made comments do not know me, they do not know the record of this board," she said. 

Falbo also addressed Edward Ronkowski, a retired prosecutor, who, during public comment, told the board that the evening's agenda, which did not itemize action requests pertaining to personnel discussed in closed session, violated the Open Meetings Act. 

Falbo accused Ronkowski, who is also chairman of the Frankfort Township Republican Organization, of circulating a letter laden with "falsities" prior to the election. "You stood up here tonight and accused the board of potentially violating the Open Meetings Act, and your facts were wrong," she said. "I think some people will go to great lengths to get other people elected."

Before voting on the personnel items, Perry told the attendees the board had confirmed with its lawyer during closed session that it was not violating the Open Meetings Act because personnel reports are available to anyone who asks for them. 

Also at the meeting:

Board Votes

• Accept the resignations of Mokena Intermediate School Assistant Principal Patti Bogdan and Director of Student Services Ellen Belotti. 
• Reinstate Judy Splayt as Mokena Elementary School's assistant principal. 
• Rehire a teacher.
• Hire three long-term substitute teachers to cover three teachers' leave of absences.
• Post for an interim MIS principal
• Post for a health aide at MIS

Perry Addresses Raises

At the beginning of the meeting, Perry said letters had been circulating in the community that said a wage increase was on the agenda. Perry said this was not the case and that administrators had taken a salary freeze last year and "fully anticipate to take a salary freeze again this year."

MOL Update

Bob Garcia of the Mokena Organizational Leaders updated the board on the group's efforts to raise money to cover extracurriculars for the 2010-2011 school year. Garcia said the group had raised around $152,000 through March and said he was confident they would raise the remaining balance to fund the extras.

Editor's note: The board did not vote to rehire the intervention specialist and did not vote to renew administrator contracts. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the board did so.