Wednesday, May 1, 2013
District 86's general contractor said the low number of subcontractors bidding on several summer-improvement packages is actually due to a construction market on the rise and a corresponding lack of desire by firms to take on small-scope projects.
The District 86 Board of Education approved the summer construction bids recommended by its general contractor last week despite two board members being unhappy with two one-bid packages and a request from a future board member to postpone the vote until the new board is seated. Board members voted 5-2 on April 22 to approve the selected subcontractors, who are expected to carry out about $1.1 million in construction work the board budgeted for this summer, including main hall renovations at both Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South, a new girls locker room at South, and new exhaust fans at Central. Dianne Barrett and Richard Skoda casted the “no” votes. Both dissenters said receiving only one bid on two of the eight packages—electrical …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
The $75 million request represents more than a 4 percent increase over the current levy
Concerns expressed by several district residents and two board members at Monday night’s Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education did not convince a majority of the board to stop a tax levy increase. By a 5-2 vote, the board gave final approval to a $75.5 million levy request, which includes $73.1 million for capped funds like education and operations, a 4.5 percent increase over the 2011 tax levy of $69.9 million. Two dozen spectators packed the Black and Gold Room at Hinsdale South High School for the meeting, with the majority appearing to be present for the tax levy discussion. Several addressed the board on the topic during the public comments section at the beginning of the meeting. George Logan said the levy …
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Richard Skoda said he wants to avoid future issues by having the board review course outlines in advance of classes getting underway.
As the first curriculum objection from a district parent in at least eight years is reviewed, one District 86 Board of Education member says he wants the elected body to have more oversight of learning materials in district classrooms. Richard Skoda said at last Monday’s board meeting that he wants the board to see and approve in advance outlines for every course going forward so that controversies like the one stemming from the showing of “American Beauty” and “Brokeback Mountain” in a Hinsdale South Film as Literature course, the subject of the current curriculum objection and an example of “poor judgment” according to Skoda, don’t happen in the future. “I think it’s unfair to put the teacher, the department chair, the principal, and the…
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Dennis Brennan said his request for authorization to send a cease-and-desist letter to the operators of Hinsdale High Schools is about proprietary rights of the district; board member Richard Skoda said it's about politics.
The District 86 Board of Education will indeed vote later this month on an item that would authorize Board President Dennis Brennan to send a cease-and-desist letter to the operators of Hinsdale High Schools, a website often critical of the district that Brennan and several other board members believe is violating the district’s trademark policy with its name. “We have a right to our name, we have a copyright, and a trademark right,” Brennan said during a Monday night discussion that got heated on a couple of occasions. The president, who wasn't present last month to provide context for his request, said he believes the use of Hinsdale High Schools as the title of the website violates Board Policy 8.22 which, according to its wording, is…
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
The website called Hinsdale High School posts often-critical opinions and was formerly the campaign site of board member Richard Skoda and two other candidates.
District 86 Board President Dennis Brennan’s is requesting board permission to demand that a website critical of the district cease and desist using its current name, but any new reasoning he has won't be explained until next month. Brennan was not present at Monday’s District 86 Board of Education meeting, which featured an action item in the agenda’s president’s report that if passed would have authorized Brennan to present a written cease and desist notification to “individuals historically associated" with the website titled Hinsdale High Schools, according to the item’s wording. Hinsdale High Schools, found at www.hinsdalehighschools.com, publishes anonymously written posts that are often critical of District 86’s administration and …
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The school board considered making board agreements on official document access policy.
The issue of board members’ access to district documents is once again creating tension on the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education less than two months after board member Dianne Barrett's much-publicized records lawsuit was dismissed. The board is considering making board agreements adopted last summer on access to documents official district policy. The agreements call for board members to “make efficient use of time and resources of the district.” Furthermore, “requests for information should not be a nuisance nor burdensome for the administration.” The board agreements define nuisance as “requesting documents within the archives of the district without pending action.” Burdensome is defined as “an inordinately …
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Board members Barrett and Skoda opposed the plan, which would also upgrade electrical infrastructure at both district high schools and address entry circulation problems.
Monday evening was unseasonably warm for mid-December, but the temperature inside Hinsdale South High School for the District 86 School Board meeting was cool. That was probably a good thing, since a discussion about air conditioning generated quite a bit of heat, not only among board members, but also in the audience. The meeting began with audience member George Logan delivering a lengthy analysis of district finances to argue against borrowing $17.96 million to complete the air conditioning of all classroom space at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South. Logan said district expenditures are trending up while revenues are trending down. “We’d be taking a risk to borrow anything,” he said. “It just seems like it’s flying against all the …
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
A majority of board members support a plan to begin implementation of the district’s Master Facilities Plan by borrowing $18 million
The Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education will hold a special meeting Dec. 5 to decide whether or not to borrow $18 million to pay for air conditioning and other facility improvements at Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South. The majority of the board members at Monday night's board meeting at Central agreed to proceed with some of the first steps of the district’s Master Facilities Plan, which was adopted in 2010. Those steps include air conditioning classrooms at both schools that are not currently air conditioned at a cost of approximately $13 million. That price includes upgrading the existing electrical infrastructure at the schools to accommodate the air conditioning, as well as other HVAC improvements. The …
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Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Superintendent Dr. Nicholas Wahl warned that Illinois House Bill 3793 could force district to cut services.
Members of the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education Monday night attempted to plan for the financial future of the district amid uncertainty created by legislation awaiting action in Springfield. House Bill 3793 would amend the state’s Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) to prohibit school districts from increasing their tax levy if the total equalized assessed valuation (EAV) of property in the district (excluding new property) decreases from the previous year. District 86 business manager Jeff Eagan told board members that the EAV for the district is projected to decline five percent from last year. Board member Dr. Richard Skoda expressed confidence the district would be okay if House Bill 3793 passes…
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Two board members wondered about a possible conflict of interest and sought a presentation from the district’s investment advisor.
The Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education will ask a Naperville investment firm employed by the district to make a presentation at a future meeting after a pair of board members suggested a conflict of interest may exist. District 86 participates in the Illinois School District Liquid Asset Fund (ISDLAF), which provides investment opportunities for school districts. It was formed 17 years ago as the result of a meeting of the executive directors of the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the Illinois Association of School Administrators, and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials. The ISDLAF Board of Trustees is comprised of school officials. However, the address listed on the ISDLAF home …
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12:09 pm on Sunday, May 5, 2013
More of the same. If the construction market is picking up after years of decline, these forms would be reaching for all they can get. A one bid result should result in re-bidding the project after analysis of why others did not respond. Could there be undue influence here? more ›