Geneva man wants to serve on school, park, library boards

A Geneva man is running for seats on the local school, park and library boards, though it’s unclear whether he can serve on all three.

Jay Moffat, who lives on Fargo Boulevard, is the chairman of the Geneva Plan Commission. His home voice mail box was too full to accept a message Wednesday requesting comment, and he did not respond to emails sent to personal and work addresses.

According to a 1991 opinion from the Illinois Attorney General’s office, the offices of park commissioner and school board member are incompatible because park districts are specifically authorized by state law to contract with school districts, for such matters as programming or space. Park districts often rent school facilities. A person elected to office is supposed to protect the interests of the entity he represents, and cannot do so for both sides of a contract, according to the opinion.

The attorney general has not been asked for an opinion in this case, according to press secretary Scott Mulford, who said the office had no comment otherwise.

In Geneva, the school and park districts operate a preschool together; it is housed at Geneva Middle School South, and overseen by park district workers. The park district also rents two gymnasiums from the school district, and runs a before- and after-school care program at its elementary schools and at the Persinger Recreation Center.

The Geneva Park District has a Geneva Library account for its workers to check out work-related materials, but the arrangement is more of an “understanding” than a contract, said library director Matt Teske.