Dupage Policy Journal

The resignation of Superintendent Bruce Law from Hinsdale D86 is the “nail in the coffin” for the district’s “wasteful, unfair and unaffordable referendum,” Zach Mottl, leader of a grassroots movement opposed to the board's upcoming $140 million bond issue, told the DuPage Policy Journal.

Board President Bill Carpenter announced Law’s resignation effective June 30 last night at the district’s regular board meeting. Also last night, the Township High School District 113 Board of Education voted to appoint Law its superintendent effective July 1.

In a statement, Carpenter said that the Hinsdale D86 board plans at a future meeting to bring a recommendation to appoint Tammy Prentiss, its assistant superintendent for student services, superintendent effective July 1.

Zach Mottl, chief alignment officer at Atlas Tool & Die Works in Lyons | youtube.com

Mottl, a resident of Burr Ridge and chairman of grass roots group “D86 Can Do Better,” which worked to defeat the district’s $166 million bond request in the fall, said that with Law “giving up” on the referendum, the “D86 community is left to deal with the wreckage created by years without good leadership from Law and the board.

“Adding insult to injury, the D86 board has again completely ignored the will of the people,” Mottl added. “They didn’t even bother to tell the community or solicit any input before making the new hire to replace Law. Many districts use an interim super and go through a search process involving extensive community input on what type of candidate is desired. Not in D86, where decisions are made behind closed doors and (the) will of the voters is always ignored.”

Before the board voted in January to place the $140 million bond issue on the April 2 ballot, it voted in December to cut football and other sports next fall. It promised to reinstate the programs if the referendum is approved.

Mottl and others who opposed the November bond issue have accused the board of unfairly using children as leverage in the ongoing, bitter fight over the proposed tax increases. In January he offered to raise enough money to fund the sports if the district would agree to a compromise on the borrowing amount, which is in the $40 million range.

The board never considered the offer. Mottl pushed ahead with the campaign to defeat the new referendum.

“Voters can see that even the district’s No. 1 salesman has given up,” Mottl said. “When we reject it again, hopefully, this will be the last time. District 86 can do better.”