Hinsdale D86's Change Of Heart On Lawyer Hiring Process

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 officials talked for months as if they would seek proposals from law firms to provide legal services.

This way, they could see firms' prices and offerings.

Ultimately, the school board went with the firm it hired last year to help oust the then-superintendent. Members did not explain their change of heart on seeking proposals.

In response to Patch's public records request this week, the district acknowledged it never issued a request for proposals to law firms.

At the Jan. 11 board meeting, interim Superintendent Raymond Lechner said the administration was looking for the board's guidance on the request for proposals.

Last fall, he said, a district committee consulted with its procurement manager. As a result of that, the committee produced a "solid" request for proposals that was ready for the board's review, he said.

Members agreed to have the administration bring the request to the entire board. The board's president, Catherine Greenspon, said it was important for the board to review it.

"We should also agree that we are ready to put out a (request for proposals) and would like to consider a potential change in legal counsel," Greenspon said.

At a meeting two weeks later, Lechner gave a similar update. He said the board had a rough draft of the request for proposals in its online meeting packet. But the district did not make that part of the packet available to the public.

Greenspon asked the board whether it had any questions or comments. No one did.

Later in the meeting, the board voted for Chicago-based Robbins Schwartz as the new general counsel. It had no discussion.

The firm replaced Itasca-based Hodges Loizzi, which may have been seen as too close to the former superintendent, Tammy Prentiss.

Under state law, the board can discuss specific candidates for attorney services behind closed doors. But it cannot talk about the process in secret. That discussion must be at a public meeting.

Patch left a message with board members Thursday morning about when they understood that the district would not issue a request for proposals.