Gavin board president enters not guilty plea

Gavin Elementary District 37 board President Barbara Mende pleaded not guilty Monday to official misconduct and theft charges.

Mende, 36, is charged with official misconduct, accused of splitting a $13,000 moving contract for the district into two parts to avoid competitive bidding.

She is also accused of padding her paycheck for two years while working in the payroll department of the Lake County Fair Association.

Officials said she added $11,229 to her pay by crediting herself with overtime she did not work and falsifying her deductions.

State's attorney's office investigator Lou Archbold said Mende arranged to have a bill for furniture moving from 5-Alarm Movers of Park Ridge split into two $6,500 segments so the board would not have to put the contract out for competitive bids in March 2006.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Marykay Foy said Mende faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the fair association theft and up to five years if convicted of the Gavin misconduct.

Mende, of 25567 E. Grand Ave. in Ingleside, is free from custody on a signature bond. Mende is due back in court Nov. 19 for a status call. She has been ordered to have no contact with the Lake County Fair Association and cannot participate in any financial decisions at Gavin, though she remains a member of the board.

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 convicted of a felony.

Circuit Judge George Bridges ordered Mende to appear in court again Dec. 18.

Her attorney, Wesley Pribla of Woodstock, declined to comment on the case after the arraignment.