Grayslake District 46 board member resigns, colleague wants to fill seat

Grayslake Elementary District 46 board member Shannon Smigielski’s resignation has prompted a colleague — who isn’t seeking re-election in April — to express interest in filling the now-vacant seat for the next two years.

Citing legal advice, District 46 board President Ray Millington announced Wednesday that an appointment must be made for Smigielski’s seat by April 17. Smigielski, whose resignation became effective March 3, won a four-year term that runs to 2015.

Karen Weinert, who isn’t seeking re-election April 9, was set to depart the board after her four-year term ended in May. However, Weinert raised the possibility she would resign her current seat and seek appointment to fill the two years of Smigielski’s unexpired term.

Board members Kip Evans and Michael Carbone raised concerns about the move potentially involving Weinert, who has served on the school board since 2003. Weinert and Millington said they wanted a public discussion about the proposal Wednesday, but Carbone and Evans blocked that from happening by objecting to amending the meeting agenda as part of a 2-2 vote.

Millington, who isn’t seeking re-election in April, criticized Evans and Carbone for casting a cloud over Weinert’s willingness to take Smigiekski’s seat for two years.

“You guys cry about everything we did wrong, like we did something wrong here,” Millington said. “What kind of skulduggery or evil intention could anybody have had in doing this? But, no, right away you jump to some conclusion that there’s something wrong with it and that the public’s going to see this as being wrong. I think you’re totally mistaken.”

Carbone said a democratic process to find someone to fill the two-year seat would be preferable to simply appointing Weinert to fill it.