Gavin leader fails to show

Gavin school board President Barb Mende did not attend the first school board meeting after being charged with official misconduct involving a moving contract that wasn't bid.

But three board members who voted in favor of splitting a $13,000 payment to a moving company to avoid putting the contract out for bid said they would not resign from the school board Tuesday night.

Board members Kristine Johnson, Steve Moulis and Phil Mack said they would not step down when board member Connie Thorson asked them to resign.

Only Moulis -- who continuously shook his head during Thorsen's speech -- would give a statement regarding the situation, saying Mende was "innocent until proven guilty," before stating "no comment."

Mack, the board vice president, presided over the meeting in Mende's absence and was ready to speak at one point, but he held his tongue before also stating he wouldn't step down. Johnson did not look up from her paperwork while stating no comment.

Thorsen asked for the resignations after Mende was charged last Thursday with official misconduct by the Illinois attorney general's office. She was also charged with theft over $10,000 by the Lake County state's attorney's office for a separate issue on the same day. The county charge does not involve Gavin.

The misconduct charge comes from splitting a moving bill of $13,000 to 5-Alarm Movers of Park Ridge to avoid having to put the bill out for open bid as required by Illinois law.

The bill, which was to move furniture back into Gavin Central School after it was closed for about two years, was submitted to the board in March 2006 as separate $6,500 invoices.

Officials said they believe the bills should have been submitted together, but Mende is accused of telling the movers to put the bills on separate invoices, one invoice to move out of the temporary school they were using when Gavin Central was closed, and a second invoice to move back in to Gavin Central after the school was repaired.

Thorsen and former board member Steve Savage attacked Mende in a village board meeting for making that decision, stating it was illegal to split the bill in two and could lead to misconduct charges.

At the time, Mende said she didn't feel splitting the bill was a violation of law and said "... if there's a problem from it, I'll take the hit."

Moulis, Johnson and Mack agreed with Mende and voted to pay the moving company.

Thorsen asked the board members Tuesday night if they were "ignorant" of the law or just "don't care" about following the law.

All three board members declined to comment.

Thorsen also asked Mende to tender her resignation. She added she would ask all four board members to step down at every public meeting until the four step down.

Mende was also charged by the state's attorney's office with stealing $11,223 from the Lake County fairgrounds, where she worked as the head of payroll.

State's attorney officials said she paid herself overtime she did not work, failed to collect payments from herself for insurance and did not collect a wage garnishment for a Cook County medical bill.

Mende faces up to seven years in prison on the theft charge and up to five years in prison on the misconduct charge.

Mende is due back in court Nov. 19 for a status call. She has been ordered to avoid the Lake County Fair Association and cannot participate in any financial decisions at Gavin.

District lawyers and state's attorney officials are still trying to determine if Mende would be allowed to serve on the board if she is officially convicted of a felony.

Mende has also been told she is not allowed to go to any casinos.

District Superintendent John Ahlemeyer also read a statement at the board meeting to the handful of residents in attendance, claiming that while the charges may hurt the district, board members should focus on the good of students while the process is completed.

"I ask, no, I plead, no, I beg, all of you to display cooperation and a respectful demeanor to each other while this issue is ongoing."