District 203 board member denied committee assignments for second year

A years-long spat over school board member Melissa Kelley Black’s refusal to review Naperville District 203’s bills and claims resurfaced this week when she was again denied committee assignments for failing to do the monthly oversight task.

Kelley Black has repeatedly criticized the district’s process in which board members take turns reviewing the monthly bills with finance staff before they are presented and voted on during a public meeting.

On Monday, the district released its annual rotation for the upcoming school year in which the seven board members are assigned a month for the bill review process. The annual committee and adopt-a-school assignments were also released — lists from which Kelley Black was excluded.

This is the second school year Kelley Black was not given any assignments. But she remains in the rotation to review the bills with finance staff.

Committees are made up of community members to provide guidance, recommendations and feedback to the superintendent and staff, but they do not have any formal decision-making authority. Board members act as liaisons.

Kelley Black said she disagrees with the bills and claims review process, which requires the board member to examine a list of expenditures and certify they are valid.

“I will not put my name on the line when I don’t have enough information,” Kelley Black said.

During Monday’s board meeting, she expressed frustration that she was assigned to review the bills and claims even though she objects to the process. She said she feels targeted.

“I’m apparently capable of making fiduciary decisions regarding millions and millions of dollars, but I can’t walk through a school and do a school visit,” Kelley Black said.

Board President Charles Cush said board policy states all board members are expected to participate in the bills and claims review process as part of their fiduciary responsibility. The board has received advice from both its law firm and auditing firm that the process is sound, he said.

During the heated exchange, Cush said Kelley Black was not given committee and school assignments because she has shirked duties required by board policy.

“You as an elected official are entitled to the seat that you are in. You are entitled to vote on matters before the board, and you can go into the community and ask questions as many times as you want,” Cush said. “You are not assigned the responsibilities that are optional responsibilities because you’ve refused to do the required responsibilities.”

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.