Lake Forest Caucus Names New Leadership

New executive committee members will assume their positions at the April 23 meeting.

The Lake Forest Caucus, a volunteer political organization that identifies and recommends candidates to serve on various city boards and commissions, has named its new executive committee. Former vice president Michael Freeman will now serve as president while former secretary Peg Determan has been named vice president, reported the Chicago Tribune. Rounding out the committee is treasurer Vince Sparrow, secretary Carrie Travers, fund-raising chair Donna Williams and communications chair Beth Laufenberg. Every registered voter in Lake Forest is a member of the caucus, and they elect 42 citizen volunteers to serve. Each year, the caucus interviews and recommends to the mayor for appointment more than 100 candidates for the city boards and …

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Board of Education Candidates Endorsed

The Lake Forest Caucus Committee endorsed candidates for District 67 and District 115 Board of Education, with no current board members endorsed.

The Lake Forest Caucus Committee met on Tuesday evening for its 2012 Annual Meeting where it endorsed candidates for the Lake Forest Elementary School District 67 and Lake Forest High School District 115. The following candidates for Lake Forest Elementary School District 67 were endorsed: Mike Borkowski, Beth Clemmensen, Jeff Folker and Robert Lemke. The following candidates for Lake Forest High School District 115 were endorsed: John Powers, Steve Reimer, Dave Schreiber. No current members of either school board are running for re-election, with the exception of Todd Burgener, who is a member of the District 115 School Board. However, because he is a resident of Lake Bluff, the Lake Forest Caucus does not endorse him. Instead, he is …

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Donald E. Russ

10:48 am on Monday, December 3, 2012

Gary’s five questions are well taken. Unionized teachers often outlast the school board volunteers, so every new board member must be reminded of the single-minded self-interest of teachers’ unions. Regarding Question 4: Taft-Hartley allows the “Fair Share” clause but does not require it. There is nothing that requires the school board to allow the union to turn teaching at LFHS into a protection…   more ›

Guest Essay

Lake Forest Caucus Supports District 67 Special Counsel's Independent Investigation

Hope the term “wrongdoing” does not limit the scope of counsel's inquiry.

The Lake Forest Caucus applauds the District 67 School Board’s decision to appoint Ronald S. Safer as special counsel to review the process concerning the Deer Path Middle School principal matter, and for its express commitment to make public the independent counsel's findings. It is also commendable that certain members of the District 67 School Board have voluntarily recused themselves from this process. Although not expressly stated in the District’s public statement, we trust that Superintendent Harry Griffith also has been excluded from participation in any capacity other than as a witness. We also trust that the use of the term “wrongdoing” was not intended to limit the scope of Mr. Safer’s inquiry. Any act or omission that …

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