November referendum could loom over Dist. 15 race

Nine candidates, including three incumbents, have filed nominating papers to run for the Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 school board next year, setting up a second showdown between opponents and advocates for a plan to build two new schools and redraw school boundaries.

Most of the challengers are affiliated with the parents group that led the charge against a $130 million bond issue rejected overwhelmingly by voters last month.

Among them is Barbara Kain, co-founder of the anti-referendum group For Our District 15 Kids. Kain said she and the other four challengers met in the months leading up to the vote in November. The referendum spotlighted issues important to them, like being fiscally conservative and more transparent to the community, she said.

"It is a good time to keep up the momentum," Kain added.

The candidates aligned with Kain are Frank Annerino, Michael Smolka, Lisa Beth Szczupaj and Anthony Wang.

"I think now there is a lack of trust toward the school board with the 10-year teacher contract and the referendum question," Annerino said. "I'd like to see the school board be more responsible to the community, be a little more transparent to the community."

Annerino ran for the board in 2015 and finished fourth in a race for three open seats. This time around there are five open seats.

Incumbents seeking re-election are board President Peggy Babcock, Vice President James G. Ekeberg and Gerald D. Chapman.

Ekeberg, who is seeking a third term on the board, said he voted in support of the referendum because he thought it was a good plan.

"Voters, however, chose otherwise, so now we're back to square one and trying to decide what's best for schools," Ekeberg said.

Chapman, who served a 4-year term from 2007 to 2011 and was appointed to the board in 2015 after the death of board member Richard Bokor, said he did not support or oppose the referendum. He said he wanted to allow the residents to make the decision.

Ekeberg said the three incumbents are not running as a slate.

Another challenger, Adam Bauske, filed his nominating paperwork on Tuesday. Bauske isn't part of the opposition slate.

Board secretary David Seiffert and board member David Gurion, who was appointed after board member Manjula Sriram resigned in November 2015, have not yet filed nominating papers.