Keep incumbents in Dist. 200

Four incumbents and two challengers seek four seats on the Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board. They are: Joann Coghill, a board member since 2004; Barbara Intihar, who has served since 2001; Andrew Johnson, current board president and a member since 1997; Ken Knicker, elected to the board in 2001; George Kocan, a writer and Warrenville resident, and Charles Pfeister, a local business owner and 20-year resident of the district.

There always are dangers of the same group of people remaining in the same office for too long, but we think this group of incumbents works well as a team and deserves four more years. We endorse Coghill, Intihar, Johnson and Knicker - all of whom enjoy widespread community support and have unflinchingly made the tough decisions - such as approving $7.8 million in cuts last week. Painful as they were, the board is committed to balancing its budget and maintaining financial health. The board also recognizes the need to find a buyer and developer for the closed Hubble School at Roosevelt and Naperville-Wheaton roads. The incumbents also seem committed to finding a cost-effective way to redevelop Jefferson School, the only special needs school of its type in the area.

All that said, we're less enthusiastic about the district's persistence in keeping the contract of a former superintendent out of the hands of a resident who requested it. The matter is now before the Illinois Supreme Court. The district contends it only wants to shield from public view the portion of the contract that delves into sensitive personnel matters, such as an employee's performance objectives. We worry that the entire contract - including the very public salary provisions - could be kept from public view. The candidates say that is not their objective, and we'll take them at their word on that portion of the debate.