LA GRANGE, IL – The Lyons Township High School board on Monday voted to release eight closed-session recordings from 2022 and 2023.
The decision was on the recommendation of the attorney general’s office, which said the board broke the state’s open meetings law.
The meetings were about the board’s effort to sell the school’s Willow Springs land to an industrial developer. When that became known in early 2023, residents rose in protest.
Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In a statement at Monday’s meeting, board President Jill Grech blamed the board’s former law firm for the violations of the Open Meetings Act, but she did not identify the firm by name. The firm is Chicago-based Franczek, with the main attorney being Ares Dalianis.
Click Here: Hurricanes rugby store
She said the board respected the attorney general’s nonbinding opinion, which was issued in late October.
Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“The board appreciates our community’s patience during this review,” Grech said. “The board remains committed to transparency in providing the LT community with information in a timely manner.”
In explaining the violations, she pointed to the former law firm.
“Please know that the board did not intend to violate the OMA (Open Meetings Act) by conducting the discussions in closed session and that as laypersons, the board members relied on the specific advice and participation of legal counsel during those discussions as a sign that they were OMA-compliant,” Grech said. “The board acknowledges this created confusion and controversy for some in our community.”
Ares Dalianis, an attorney for the Franczek law firm, in November was part of the team from his firm making the case to get Hinsdale High School District 86’s legal business. Last year, Franczek lost Lyons Township High School as a client. (David Giuliani/Patch)
In selling the Willow Springs site, she said the board would look out for the district’s interests as a whole, with the proceeds paying for improvements to the school’s two campuses.
During public comments, two Willow Springs residents who have opposed the school’s handling of the issue praised the release of the recordings.
“I appreciate the action you took today on the closed session recordings,” resident Jim Distasio said. “I thank you for your transparency on this. It probably wasn’t an easy decision to make, and it sounded like a long process.”
Resident Fred Whiting agreed. But he said residents still should get an apology.
“Although you were steered incorrectly by your lawyer, you all were still part of the plan to put industrial in our neighborhood. I mean it was very disrespectful,” Whiting said.
Still, he said, “I really appreciate what you have done tonight. Hopefully, we can all move past this and join LT together like it should be.”
In April 2023, the attorney general ordered the school board to release the closed session recordings from two January meetings. The board did so.
In the latest case, the release was not mandatory.
In August 2023, the school board replaced Franczek as its main law firm.
After the early 2023 uproar, the board abandoned the effort to sell the 70 acres to an industrial developer. The village of Willow Springs bars industrial uses for the land in question, which is next to houses and an elementary school.
The January 2023 recordings were revealing.
They showed Superintendent Brian Waterman and board members strategizing to keep the land effort secret for as long as possible from the village of Willow Springs and other government bodies.
The recordings also revealed board members agreeing that industrial uses would hurt neighbors, a member pushing a self-described conspiracy theory to explain the opposition, another member insulting the intelligence of Willow Springs officials, and the Franczek attorney expressing confidence that the board could successfully pressure the village to waive its zoning code.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.