Outgoing District 15 School Board Chooses Defeated Candidate To Fill Vacant Seat

PALATINE, IL — Members of the outgoing board for Consolidated Community School District 15 performed what will most likely be their final significant action during a special meetng Monday, appointing David Border to fill the seat vacated by Jessica C. Morrison, who stepped down because of an upcoming move. The appointment, however, is being criticized, not because of the person chosen, but because some district residents don't think elected officials who were voted out earlier this month — only current member Zubair Khan will remain on the incoming board, which will be sworn in Thursday — should take such an action affecting the board's future.

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Board President Peggy Babcock defended the decision of the outgoing board filling Morrison's open seat, arguing that the experience of the current members was necessary to make the appointment. If she hadn't resigned, Morrison would have joined Khan as the only incumbent on the incoming board, and her absence was a concern for the current board, Babcock said in an address before going into executive session Monday to interview candidates for the vacant seat.

"[Morrison's resignation] leaves a serious void in experience," Babcock said. "The debate has been who should fill that void: the newly elected members with no district board governance experience or an experienced board who has a deep understanding of the challenges of the new board members?"

RELATED: District 15 School Board Moves Quickly To Fill Vacancy, But Online Petition Says Slow Down

The board had 45 days to fill the open seat, but the outgoing board only used 12 days to make the appointment. Morrison stepped down April 12. The deadline for applications to fill the opening was April 19. The appointment was made Monday, April 24.

WATCH: District 15 President Peggy Babcock delivers an address before the board goes into executive session during Monday's special meeting:

Objecting to the accelerated timeline, District 15 resident Meghan Haddad started an online petition on Change.org, asking the board to delay the appointment. The petition has received more than 450 signatures. Haddad also sent an email to the board Friday, April 21, to convince them to reconsider how they were filling the open seat.

"It is in the best interest of the District 15 community for you to reach out to the newly elected board members and include them in this process, as they have been overwhelmingly selected by the voters of the District 15 community to represent OUR best interests," wrote Haddad, who said she did not receive a response. "It is not only important, but imperative that the outgoing board work collaboratively with the incoming board to choose a candidate that has been properly vetted for this position while utilizing the entire 45 day period for review."

RELATED: Engage D15 Slate Captures Open Seats In School Board Election

Five residents also voiced their objections to the appointment at Monday's special meeting, the Daily Herald reports.

"The voters spoke in early April," district resident Ed Richter said at the meeting, according to the Herald. "They did not want you to represent them any longer. The bottom line is you have not been transparent to the voters of the district and the children."

In November, the five candidates of the Engage D15 slate — Frank J. Annerino, Michael Smolka, Anthony Wang, Lisa Beth Szczupaj and Barb Kain — caputred the board's four open four-year seats and one two-year seat. The candidates ran on a platform that challenged the then-current board for a lack of transperancy surrounding two controversial moves: agreeing to an unprecedented 10-year contract with district teachers and putting a $130 million referendum to build two new schools and close another one on the November ballot. The referendum was overwhelmingly defeated at the polls.

Despite the objections, the board still followed through with the board appointment. The 24 applicants were whittled down to three candidates, who were interviewed in a two-hour executive session during Monday's special meeting, the Herald reports. The board then voted 5-0 in open session to appoint Border.

“Dave embodies the spirit of community and brings talent, expertise and energy to the Board team," Babcock said in a board statement concerning the appointemnt. "We are very fortunate to have him working on behalf of the children and D15 community.”

"Mr. Border became the consensus choice based upon thorough understanding of the functioning of the Board, as well as an exceptional commitment to the community and district,” she added.

A senior vice president for Allstate Insurance, Border was defeated by Engage D15 candidate Kain for the two-year board seat in the November election. He's a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned bachelor degrees in business administration and mathematics. Border has lived in Palatine and the district for 23 years, and he and his wife, Sheri, have two sons who attend Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

Even though incoming board members were shut out of the appointment process despite asking to be a part of it, member-elect Szczupaj told the Herald the newly elected board planned to work with the new addition.

"It doesn't matter who is in the seat, we're going to figure out a way to collaborate," she said.

Border, whose term will run until April 2019, and the other newly elected members will be sworn in Thursday's school board meeting.

Although Monday's special meeting was being held to fill the vacant seat, Babcock used the time to praise the accomplishments of the current District 15 board and defend some of its decisions, including the much-criticized 10-year teachers contract.

"Despite what some of you regulars feel, this board will walk away with our heads held high knowing that we each upheld first and foremost the mission of District 15," she said.

Photo via Patch archive

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