Ally Denounces Hinsdale D86 Board Over Closed Meeting Issue

DARIEN, IL – Hinsdale resident Dale Kleber is seen as an ally of the current Hinsdale High School District 86 board. He didn't sound like one Thursday night.

At a board meeting, Kleber, a lawyer, expressed disappointment that the board has taken more than three months to release the recording of most of a 2022 closed meeting.

In response to a complaint from Kleber, the attorney general's office in mid-November found the school board violated the open meetings law by talking about goal-setting for the superintendent behind closed doors.

The closed meeting was held by a prior board that Kleber criticized repeatedly. In a recent social media post, he praised the current board, saying he expected it to be more open with the public.

"I have been supportive of the board," Kleber said at Thursday's meeting. "I was under the impression that it would be more transparent than the last one."

He said the board's position appeared to be that it would not release the recording.

"If the board is going to stonewall on it, there will be more legal fees involved," Kleber said.

He did not indicate whether that meant he or someone else would sue.

In its letter, the attorney general's office gave the board the portions of the record – to the second – that should be released to the public. The office's opinion is non-binding.

The board has taken much longer to release the recording than school districts in similar situations in Elmhurst and La Grange.

Patch left a message for comment with board President Catherine Greenspon on Friday. She indicated in her president's report Thursday that the board would take up the issue.

At the meeting, Kleber took issue with a proposed board policy that says goal-setting for the superintendent must be in the open, unless it was intertwined with the superintendent's performance.

Kleber said the policy was weak. And he noted the board's agenda said it was the "second read" for the policy, implying there was a "first read."

He said that was not true. The board has never had the item on its agenda before.

"I don't see how any of you can pass a policy that has not seen the light of day," Kleber said. "Your prior board violated the law. So far what I've seen tonight is that you don't seem to be acting in a different manner. I'm very disappointed with this board."

The board did not respond to Kleber's comments. It passed the new policy without debate.