Yahoo News Lockport High School 205 Board member Martin Boersmam elected with We The Parents group, resigns
Lockport Township High School District 205 Board member Martin Boersma resigned Wednesday after seven months on the board.
Boersma took office in May. He was elected in April backed by We The Parents Illinois, which during the 2023 election endorsed challengers to several school and library board incumbents in races in Homer Glen, Lockport and Crest Hill.
Boersma did not immediately return requests for comment. Jeannette Castillo, district spokeswoman, declined to comment on why Boersma resigned.
In a statement, Superintendent Robert McBride said he and the board appreciate Boersma’s service.
“I respect the careful thought and consideration that he gave to this important decision for himself, our board, and the community,” McBride said.
Board President Ann Lopez-Caneva said in the statement the board appreciates “all of his work during his short term with us and we wish him the best.”
The district will release an application process Jan. 3 for those interested in filling the vacant seat, according to a district news release.
During the board’s special meeting Jan. 11, which has been scheduled for approval of state applications and waivers, the members will hold a closed session to discuss the selection process for a board member. Information about the selection process will be released publicly the next day, according to the release.
The board plans to interview applicants in late January and early February with the goal of appointing a new member in February, according to the release.
We the Parents started as a small group of parents who got together “in response to a loss of control in our children’s education,” according to its website. The group states it stands for fiscal responsibly, restoring high academic standards, providing safe learning environments and protecting the classroom from woke and political ideology.
In September, Boersma was a dissenting vote as the board approved the 2023-2024 budget in a 4-3 vote. When the board approved the tentative budget in July, Boersma was absent from the meeting.
Boersma raised questions about the effect of spending the district’s cash on hand. He said he voted against the budget after hearing from residents about the district’s cash on hand via email and four residents during public comment.
At the September meeting, McBride said the high school budget process has two parts, first approving the budget and then approving a method to pay for the budget. Funding the budget could require approving a property tax levy or spending out of the fund balance. When the budget was approved, district officials began preparing strategies for funding district operations for the next year, he said.
In November, when the board was considering a property tax levy increase along with resolutions to abate a portion of the levy, Boersma said the strategy “is a start.”
Boersma was absent from the Dec. 18 meeting, where the board approved a 6.28% tax levy increase, above the tax cap with the home of capturing $40 million in new construction. The board also approved two separate resolutions abating 2017 and 2019 debt service levy bonds, which will return about $1.3 million to taxpayers.
Of 13 regular and special board meetings since his swearing in, Boersma did not attend five meetings, according to board meeting minutes. Boersma arrived late to the Nov. 20 meeting, according to the minutes.
