Lincoln-Way Shame: By the Numbers

Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 managed to deplete millions of dollars in cash reserves, putting the District in dire financial straits, and leading the Board of Education to make the misguided step of closing an 8-year-old high school to divert attention from the crisis.

The vote to close Lincoln-Way North, however, prompted members of the District 210 community to start their own investigation into finances, using requests from the Freedom of Information Act.

Frankfort resident, Judy Fabian, spoke about these findings May 5 at the first meeting of the newly formed L-W 210 District Financial Committee at Lincoln-Way Central High School.

Full Text Here:

Back in February at the Board of Education meeting, Lincoln-Way parent and taxpayer Liz Gonzalez totaled up $16,370,418 in reckless spending by District 210 that included:

· unrepaired water leaks

· purchases of unused land

· allowing coaches, orchestras and private businesses, such as day cares and dog trainers, to use Lincoln-Way facilities with no benefit to the district or its students

· penalties for illegal end-of-career salary bumps

· “luxury” employees such as additional business managers and foundation directors, and so much more.

Today, I would sadly like to add to that total, but this time, I would like to begin at $37 million dollars. Why? Because that is the amount of our districts reserves that were blown through in an effort to cover deficit spending from 2009 to 2015 and keep us off the State Watch List.

So starting at $37 million dollars, we subtract $16,370,418

Less $272,000 in illegal retirement bonuses that resulted in almost $200,000 in penalties paid

Take away $368,000 spent on a retirement annuity for former Superintendent Wyllie—when he already was on track to earn the highest teacher pension in the state.

AND $29,566 for Wiley’s personal purchases on the district’s credit card, including books, sweaters, and a teddy bear.

AND $35,000 for a Ph.D. for Ron Sawin—who was on his way out the door in retirement, and now on his way out the door for other reasons that remain undisclosed.

Subtract $400,000 in refunded drivers education fees because the district failed to file a simple renewal form with the ISBE.

Then let’s subtract $4,647,363 for bond money used inappropriately to fund noncapital expenditures.

And finally, subtract $1,883,054 for no contract, no bid work done by a company owned by an employee of a board member.

That means $12,994,599 MAY have been spent from the district’s reserves on legitimate educational purposes. I say MAY have been spent because if you read the newspapers, more examples of the district’s history of reckless spending get uncovered on what seems like a daily basis.

So the GRAND TOTAL of our $37 million in reserves that was spent recklessly by this district is: $24,005,401.

More than $24 million dollars of our savings gone on perks, freebies, and mistakes (or as we like to refer to them in 210, oversights).

And guess what landed us on the State’s Watch list—we finally ran out of money in those reserves. Years of reckless spending, and your solution is to make another reckless move and close an eight-year old, state of the art high school, move 3,700 students, and destroy 105 miles of communities. Way to go.

I ask that your first recommendation to the board be – rescind the decision to close North until this committee has had a chance to review everything. It is NOT too late.