Grayslake District 46 hires fifth finance boss since 2010
Grayslake Elementary District 46 board members didn't look far to hire the system's fifth finance boss since 2010.
At a meeting last week, board members promoted District 46 finance coordinator Anna Kasprzyk to chief school business official, replacing Todd Covault. She's been with the district for three years.
Superintendent Ellen Correll said Kasprzyk worked closely with the past three business managers and has the necessary certification for the top job.
“Both Todd Covault and our interim, Vic Berner, strongly recommended her for this position,” Correll said Tuesday.
Kasprzyk nearly doubled her annual base salary with the promotion. She'll receive $96,000, above a $55,550 base from the 2010-11 budget.
Board members didn't comment as they voted 4-3 to hire Kasprzyk. President Ray Millington, Karen Weinert, Susan Facklam and Keith Surroz were in favor, with Shannon Smigielski, Michael Carbone and Kip Evans opposed.
Covault departed for a similar post in downstate Decatur in September after a little more than two months at District 46. Covault took over for David Tylavsky, who quit in March 2011 after eight months on the job.
Tylavsky was hired to replace Edward Towle, who was sacked in May 2010 before he started. Towle bested about 40 candidates who applied to replace Brad Goldstein.
District 46 continues to tussle with Towle in federal court. He claims breach of contract in the suit he filed against District 46 in U.S. District Court in Chicago roughly six months ago.
In the most recent court documents filed on behalf of District 46 by attorney Daniel Field in late August, formal answers were provided to Towle's accusations.
Towle was hired at District 46 on April 7, 2010, while he was on paid leave from a suburban Milwaukee school system. Grayslake officials said Towle never told them he was collecting his $107,449 salary to not work at Brown Deer School District for more than a year.
District 46 denies Towle's claim he was fired because of fears about “bad publicity” by Correll and former school board President Mary Garcia after they learned of his Brown Deer status. He had a one-year deal for $98,000.
Field also wrote the district disputes how Towle, in his lawsuit, portrayed an email sent to him by Correll.
“My biggest fear has come forth,” Correll wrote in the email to Towle. “As I predicted, the Daily Herald has made a (Freedom of Information Act) request regarding you, your contract, letters of recommendation, etc. I was fairly certain this would happen as this is a pattern of the Daily Herald.
“This will lead to a ‘character assassination' for both you and this district. Your best direction, I feel, for future employment would be to resign due to say, difficulty with moving or something of that nature. This is very unfortunate that this all had to happen.”
Towle contends it would have been untruthful to cite moving problems in a resignation. However, District 46's response to the suit denies Correll proposed Towle resign under false pretenses.
In addition to seeking more than $75,000 in damages from District 46, Towle remains in litigation with Brown Deer. He wants unspecified damages from Brown Deer primarily for defamation and breach of contract. Just before Grayslake fired him, Brown Deer District Administrator Deb Kerr issued a statement saying “serious concerns” about Towle's job performance led to him being placed on the paid leave. Brown Deer officials said they had evidence showing a pattern of professional behavior by Towle that jeopardized the financial security of taxpayers' money.