Grayslake Dist. 46's Facklam to stay put
Grayslake Elementary District 46 board member Susan Facklam survived another attempt by her political opponents to reduce her authority at a meeting Wednesday night.
Facklam has been the focus of recent meetings because of her opponents' public displeasure with a Lake County state's attorney's office finding that she broke state law as a deputy voter registrar in 2011.
At Wednesday night's meeting, board member Kip Evans led an effort to have Facklam removed as the school system's volunteer representative to the Special Education District of Lake County. Facklam serves on SEDOL's governing board for District 46.
Evans and two other board members have cited Deputy State's Attorney Daniel Jasica's finding in questioning her role as a District 46 elected official. Facklam denied any wrongdoing in a case that spawned from emails she wrote to a former board president.
“I don't want to continue beating a dead horse and that, but we did have some problems and I feel, myself, that we need some new blood (on SEDOL),” Evans said.
District 46 board members voted 4-3 against booting Facklam from the SEDOL post. Board President Ray Millington and members Karen Weinert, Keith Surroz and Facklam voted with the majority, while Michael Carbone, Shannon Smigielski and Evans were on the losing end.
Similar to a meeting last month at which Facklam was under fire, Millinton reiterated his support for her Wednesday.
“I think Sue has done a commendable job in volunteering to represent us on the SEDOL board and she has kept us informed in what actions needed to be taken relative to SEDOL,” Millington said. “I don't see any reason why she shouldn't continue in that role.”
Last month, an unsuccessful effort was made to remove Facklam as District 46's representative on a statewide elected school officials lobbying organization.
In August, Jasica wrote a letter to Facklam with his finding she committed a felony violation of Illinois election code by registering two people to vote and giving them $5 restaurant gift certificates when she was up for re-election.
Although the opinion was issued in August, it didn't become public until two months later when Jasica confirmed for the Daily Herald the contents of the letter he wrote to Facklam.
Jasica said “prosecutorial discretion” and lack of a “broader pattern of illegal payments” combined in the decision to not pursue a criminal case against her. His finding capped a probe that began in April 2011 after his office received emails Facklam wrote to former board President Mary Garcia, which referenced the gift certificates.
Facklam issued a statement disputing Jasica's finding, saying the gift cards she provided to a family friend and someone else were not in exchange for anything.
She retained her District 46 board post in the hotly contested April 2011 election, with newcomers Smigielski and Evans winning the other two seats. Garcia and Marchell Norris fell short.
District 46 board members in November issued a public reprimand of Facklam, known as a censure, as a result of Jasica's opinion. Evans last month asked why the censure was pursued against Facklam and no other action is considered warranted.