Will Co. (ECWd) –
I don’t know how many times we have written about what you can and can’t spend public funds on, but once again, we must repeat ourselves as it is clear the Board of Education approved illegal expenditures in the last Superintendent’s contract.
Article VIII section 1 is as clear as a bell. “Public funds, property or credit shall be used only for public purpose.”
Is there anyone that cannot grasp what that means? If in doubt, ask the simple question, is spending this money, using this property or credit, providing a public purpose? Pretty simple. Most people should be able to understand that.
Sadly, not the case with the former District 210 School Board President, David Izzo, and anyone else that voted to approve the past superintendent’s contract. Any current BOE member that participated in this contract should resign immediately for failing to protect the taxpayers.
Under the contract issued to Lawrence Wyllie, we find item 23 represents spending of public funds inconsistent with our State Constitution.
23. Retirement – Upon retirement, the Superintendent and his spouse will have lifetime staff privileges regarding the fitness center, the field house, and the pool, as long as they remain residents of District #210.”
The Board of Education has no legal basis to provide these benefits to the spouse and dependents of a retired employee of the district in a contract for the employee. By providing lifetime staff privileges to his spouse regarding the fitness center, the field house, and the pool, they are allowing the use of public funds, property, and credit to people who are not providing any public purpose.
Contracts are between the public employee and the public body, not their spouses and dependents. Use of public funds, property and credit in this fashion violates our State Constitution.
Considering the organizations they wanted Wyllie to be a member of, it’s no wonder we see these types of problems.
- American Association of School Administrators
- Illinois Association of School Administrators
- Superintendents’ Round Table/Study Club of Northern Illinois
- Will County School Administrators’ Organization
- Association of School Business Officials
I suspect each and every one of these associations or organizations are filled with very well educated people. Rest assured, their primary purpose may be claimed to be education related, however, don’t think for second it is not also to educate how the Administrators can increase their livelyhood. Sadly, most have no clue what financial limits our state constitution places on public bodies. We see it time and time again, Administrators push the envelope when it comes to contracts in hopes the Board blindly approves it, right or wrong.
This contract points to yet another failing by the Board of Education of District 210, who was responsible for awarding it.
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Wyllie-Final-Contract.pdf”]
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5 Comments
Joanna
Posted at 12:18h, 27 DecemberKirk, what happens with all this info? No government officials or government agency claim they can help or do anything. They all say it is a local. How do we stop this nonsense?
Chris M. Gaines
Posted at 05:30h, 28 DecemberGood question obviously. What happens now with all this info you wrote about and the violations to our law you have identified in these articles? Someone needs to take action, now! Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Time to do something about it now and quit just complaining about it publicly here. Who can actually do something though? … is the question remaining. Who? We the People can do something, right? Consider taking action today, sooner rather than later. Thank you. Have a nice day.
Patricia May
Posted at 17:16h, 29 DecemberHi Chris. I noticed your comments in the article of March 3, 2015 “COD-When Do Criminal Statutes Apply?” The author quoted the Illinois laws pertaining to “Misapplication of funds”, and Lincoln-Way District 210 has also been operated and managed in direct defiance of everything in those laws. The article exposes all of the personal expenditures of the College of Dupage president, Robert Breuder. And although it is deplorable how this man spent the tax payers money, it seems PETTY in comparison to what has occurred in Dist. 210. The COD has board meetings at fine restaurants where filet mignon and duck are ordered, and he loves to have a $70 bottle of wine at 3pm that he charges to the taxpayers, and even his $2,000 case of ribs that he bought as a gift for someone seems like a minor wrongdoing in comparison to the financial disaster at Lincoln-Way. If Mr. Breuder is going to be found guilty of misconduct, then no one in District 210 should be able to walk away from this fiasco.
Chris M. Gaines
Posted at 21:27h, 29 DecemberHi Patricia,
I agree… in comparison this is a much larger scandal potentially and criminal activities by our public servants, again. Unfortunately, those charged with investigating and prosecuting these crimes will more than likely NOT. Our justice system is corrupted, just like our political system is, especially in Illinois. We can only blame ourselves for that fact. We are our government…supposedly, right? We the People…right? Be the change you want. Start with yourself, please.
I believe this ( link below ) is this previous story I commented on that you referred to in your comment here. Thanks for noticing it. I hope to inspire people to TAKE ACTION, in whatever way they can. Get informed. Get involved. Unite. Have a nice day.
http://3.133.133.226/2015/03/cod-when-do-criminal-statutes-apply/
Patricia May
Posted at 15:47h, 27 DecemberI wouldn’t really mind if Mr. Wyllie and his wife dropped by to use the school pool, if this was the worst thing he ever did. And if this benefit were also extended to other retired employees. However, this gentleman should not be rewarded for destroying our community’s high school district. He should be using the field house at a state prison.