3 District 203 board members blame president for 'dysfunctional' board

Three school board members in Naperville Unit District 203 are criticizing the board president's communication and leadership skills, with one saying the board has become "extremely dysfunctional."

They've also raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest between Terry Fielden's role as board president and his work for a school construction company.

The board held a closed-door session last week to conduct a "board evaluation," a process that isn't complete and will require another meeting Sept. 21, district officials said.

Board members have been tight-lipped about discussions during the evaluation, but Fielden said he'll give a report to the community about it during the next open meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, in the administrative center at 203 W. Hillside Road.

The evaluation began after three board members - Susan Crotty, Mike Jaensch and Jackie Romberg - raised concerns about Fielden's communication, fairness and leadership. Since he was chosen president after the election in April - he was the only board member nominated to fill the top role - Crotty, Jaensch and Romberg say the flow of information has stalled and the board's ability to govern effectively has diminished.

"A few members feel very disenfranchised and haven't been involved in many of the communications," Jaensch said. "What I have observed over past four months, the board has gone from a very highly effective, highly performing board that worked together very smoothly, to an extremely dysfunctional one where people don't talk to each other, withhold information and are being deceptive."

Romberg, who served as president before the April 7 election, said it's puzzling that the board's ability to function has decreased so much in a few months when all members remain the same.

"We had a working relationship where there was a tremendous amount of outreach to board members and open lines of communication that stopped when he (Fielden) became president, and I have no idea why," Romberg said.

In late July, Crotty said she brought her concerns to Fielden about his failure to engage all board members, seek their opinions before planning agendas with district administrators, and provide information to all board members at the same time.

Romberg said this led to the district seeking legal advice about whether a new president can be chosen in the middle of the 4-year term for elected school board members. It turns out that is allowed. But Romberg and Jaensch said the attorney's answers weren't shared with them and Crotty at the same time as the other board members received the information.

"We're a group of equals," Romberg said. "You can't have information the other board members don't have."

Fielden said he thought his outreach to board members was sufficient but learned during the board evaluation that he might need to do more.

"I was communicating with them as I thought I needed to," Fielden said Wednesday. "I'm trying to adjust my communication style to their direct needs. ... There is still a flow of information, but it needs to go deeper."

Board Vice President Suzyn Price, along with board members Kristin Fitzgerald and Donna Wandke, did not question Fielden's leadership or communication.

Price said the board's problem was not with Fielden but partly "the inability to get together and talk as a group," which she hoped could be solved during the board evaluation sessions.

Wandke said Fielden has been responsive to her whenever she has reached out. Fitzgerald said she has no concerns about Fielden's leadership, but it troubles her to hear the issues her colleagues are having, which don't bode well for communication and trust.

Meanwhile, Jaench said he is concerned Fielden is violating a board rule that says members should not use their position for personal gain.

Jaench, Crotty and Romberg say Fielden told them he wanted to be board president because it would be good for his job.

"I've never said that," Fielden said during an open meeting Aug. 17.

Fielden has worked since 2011 as director of K-12 education for International Contractors Inc., an Elmhurst construction firm. In the past, he has worked at Gilbane Building Co. and Turner Construction Co.

When he first was elected to the school board in 2007, he ran on a platform of school construction expertise when the district was preparing to dramatically renovate Naperville Central High School. He served as the leader of a school board committee that oversaw the $87 million project.

Fielden has said he has pledged his employer would not perform work in the district while he sits on the board.

He's taking that a step further now, saying he will abstain from all votes related to architects. Fielden made that promise after concerns were raised about his relationship with district architect Wight & Co. and whether that relationship has resulted in his company getting contracts to work with Wight in other school districts.

Fielden said a board attorney determined he has not violated the law because he does not have any ownership in the architecture firm and does not benefit directly or indirectly from its work in the district.

But Jaench and Romberg say it's the "appearance of impropriety" they're concerned about.

Fielden said he also wants to avoid that appearance and "put to rest any latent concerns."

Board members say they want to get back to functioning well as a unit so they can focus on the needs of the 16,000 students in the district.

"We are the same seven people that sat here before and everything has changed," Crotty said. "We've really, in some ways, disrupted the operations of the school district on several occasions, and for that, I'm personally sorry."