Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Yesterday the Caucus Committee announced they would hold a second election seeking approval for the Officer slate. This was certainly encouraging news, since Lake Forest Caucus bylaws state that the Officers must be approved by the General Members who vote at the Spring Meeting. Also, a letter from Attorney Ed Mullins was referenced, written on behalf of a group of concerned General Caucus Members who asked that it be delivered to the Committee. How did we get here? Why is an attorney needed to goad the Committee into following the bylaws?
In 2011, the Lake Forest Caucus Committee changed its organizational status with the State of Illinois to become a Political Action Committee (PAC) after Illinois election laws changed. The registration as a PAC was not approved by the General Membership, but did not seemingly affect the workings of the Committee. After the change took place, the Caucus Committee continued adhering to the bylaws, hence establishing reliance, or a legal contract, with the General Membership (the registered voters of Lake Forest). However, this did not stop the Committee from ignoring the majority vote and declaring two of three recent elections as advisory.
The trigger that set-in motion the uncovering of this organizational status change was the disenfranchisement of residents who attended the November 2022 Annual Meeting Election. It was then that the Caucus Committee first informed the residents who voted that the election was merely advisory. This decision spurred many residents in Lake Forest to ask: “How can they do that? How can they not honor their membership’s vote?” As it turns out, the answer was simple. It's because since 2011, every bylaw is advisory and can supposedly be ignored under their status as a PAC. In a PAC, only the Chair (President) and Treasurer have decision-making powers. What is shocking is that the Caucus Committee neglected to tell us they were relying on their status as a PAC to decide the vote was advisory.
Did anyone know about this dramatic change designed to exclude every General Member’s voice and vote? It would certainly be a surprise to anyone who voted against the proposed bylaw amendment to eliminate our Caucus voting rights, theCaucus Preservation Act (CPA). If the CPA had passed, it would have closely aligned the bylaws with the Caucus’s PAC status. There would have been no need to explain why the General Members’ votes were advisory because they would have simply ceased to exist. As noted earlier, Caucus bylaws serve as an agreement or contract between the General Membership and the Caucus Committee. Unfortunately, the Committee has breached that contract twice by asserting election outcomes were “advisory”. When an agreement is breached, notice must be given to the offending party. Many concerned citizens have had conversations with Caucus Committee officers and members, urging them to follow bylaws and restore public confidence in the system. When the Committee ignored those requests and set about installing their Officer Slate without the approval required in the bylaws, the only recourse left was legal action. Thus, the need for an attorney.
Many of us hope to restore our Caucus Committee. We want it to act in accordance with the practices and traditions that have been in place for almost 70 years, and suggest it begins with:
1. All ballots are presented with a Yes/No option for each candidate.
2. Elections are held, honored and all results accepted.
3. Criteria for what to do when NO votes occur, including:
i. Presenting new candidates and holding another election until all candidates are accepted.
ii. Presenting and promoting all candidates to the community, prior to the election for public acceptance.
4.Third-party oversight is instituted for all Caucus elections.
Ultimately, the success of any system depends on the actions of its leaders. The Caucus Committee cannot keep us guessing. Will they adhere to the bylaws or will they invoke their PAC status and ignore them? Is this the type of representation we want? We deserve? This isn’t what we thought our Caucus Committee was or would ever become.
Unless the Committee is willing to accept the changes necessary to restore trust and inclusion with their membership (us), we will have a disconnected government with residents becoming ever more resentful and distrustful of those who hold such unchecked and unilateral power in our community.
-LF4T
Can the Caucus Committee regain the community’s trust?
With only one day’s notice, nearly one hundred residents arrived at Gorton Center a week ago last Wednesday to hear from an area expert about how groups that are involved with elections are organized and to ask questions about recent Lake Forest Caucus elections.
For some 70 years, the Caucus has enjoyed community acceptance and legitimacy from their communications, their actions and their adherence to adopted bylaws. The Caucus Committee has underscored that it works on behalf of, and is made up of, ALL registered voters in Lake Forest.
Yet, as most residents are well aware, the Caucus Committee moved to install its new Executive Committee despite a majority vote against its slate of officers. It fits into a pattern established over the last eighteen months.
Last spring, the Committee presented the entire slate with a “yes” only option. Prior to that, in the fall of 2022, the Committee went ahead with its recommended candidate for mayor despite a majority vote against his candidacy.
When the Caucus asked the community to pass its proposed Caucus Preservation Act (CPA) and thousands showed up to say no, the Committee acknowledged the rejection of the CPA. In doing so, the Caucus reaffirmed the voters’ wish to maintain the general Caucus members’ right to vote on recommended candidates for elective offices and the Committee’s Officers.
So how can the Committee decide which election outcomes it chooses to honor?
The answer lies in how the Committee has registered itself with the Illinois State Board of Elections. In 2011, the Committee began registering itself as a Political Action Committee (PAC) due to a change in election laws. When organized as a PAC, the Chair and Treasurer are the only recognized decision makers, not the Caucus as a whole or even the Committee. No voting and no election is required.
Nevertheless, the Lake Forest Caucus has been operating under bylaws for nearly seventy years, including of course, the years from 2011 to the present time under its structure as a PAC. These bylaws represent a contract between the Committee and registered voters in Lake Forest.
Until Fall 2022, all recommended candidates were affirmed by the general members. The Committee’s recommendations and the public’s views aligned.
Fall, 2022, changed that. For the first time, a recommended candidate for public office was not accepted by its general members. The bylaws did not specify what steps should be taken, but it was expected the Committee would choose a new candidate, given the consistent use of the word “recommends” and “election” throughout the bylaws. They did not.
The Caucus bylaws were written in the spirit of public service and representation. The Committee needs to decide if they will operate consistently under the bylaws, even if registered as a PAC, or to simply operate as a PAC and be upfront about it. Switching between the two, depending on what the Committee wants, destroys public confidence in our Caucus system.
-LF4T
Episode 23 - A Conversation with former Lake Forest Superintendent Mike Simeck.
The Caucus Committee ignored the vote - again. What’s next for Lake Forest?
Come to the Gorton Center Auditorium tomorrow night at 7 pm for a community discussion of next steps. An election attorney will be present and will answer general questions.
That’s TOMORROW, Wednesday, April 17 at 7 PM, Gorton Center, John & Nancy Hughes Theater. See you there!
Gorton Center
400 E Illinois Rd
Lake Forest, IL 60045
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
For years the Caucus Committee has assured us that “it’s all of us”—all registered voters in Lake Forest. The Caucus bylaws reflect that commitment. The bylaws are clear that the Caucus’s executive officers must be elected by the general membership—and when the vote was held last week, the candidates failed to receive the majority vote required.
We are deeply dismayed that, once again, the Caucus Committee has announced that it plans to completely ignore that outcome—especially in light of how self-serving their decision is—this time installing themselves in office. Current Caucus leadership seems to have learned nothing from their experience since November 2022, the first time they ignored the outcome of the vote and the voice of its membership.
Caucus leadership claims that the bylaws don’t give guidance. This is not true. If Caucus leadership stands behind that position, they should be transparent and share their legal basis for it with the community.
The Caucus Committee’s actions beg the questions: Do our votes count? Or is Caucus leadership essentially a monarchy that is not accountable to its membership? Lake Forest voters should consider whether they want a system in which Caucus leaders are untethered from the community—even as they hold themselves out to represent Lake Forest residents. Actions speak louder than words. Voters should consider whether it’s still appropriate for the Caucus to have such an outsize role in city appointments while ignoring the voice of the voters.
We would like to extend our thanks to all Lake Foresters who braved the inclement weather to vote Tuesday night. As with all elections, this one was important and people needed to let their choice be known. We also appreciate the Caucus Committee quickly announcing the vote’s outcome to the public.
“What happens next?” is the obvious question. We are hopeful the Committee will abide by its bylaws regarding Caucus elections.
The bylaws require a majority “yes” vote as a pre-condition to elect new officers. Because that condition has not been met yet, the Committee must hold another vote and obtain a majority “yes” if it wants to elect officers.
We await the Committee’s next steps.
Click here to learn how the bylaws work
On April 2nd, general Caucus members (all registered voters living in Lake Forest) are asked to vote at the Gorton Center on the Committee’s Officer slate for the upcoming year. At last year’s vote, the Caucus Committee offered only one option, to vote “yes” for its entire slate of candidates.
This year, the ballot will give the option of voting “yes” or “no” on the entire slate. To also have a “no” vote is progress, but still deviates from the standard practice used for decades, which allowed a “yes” or “no” vote on each individual officer candidate. Additionally, the Caucus Committee has declined a third-party oversight of the ballots or verification of the count. We strongly recommended third-party oversight of the April 2nd vote considering the events of the past 18 months.
Voting for individual officers is important. Of the seven slated executive candidates, several were very vocal and supportive of cutting out the general membership’s voices last fall with the proposed “Caucus Preservation Act” (CPA). With the defeat of the CPA, Lake Forest voters have spoken. Those candidates who advocated for the CPA, if elected, will hold an influential position on the executive committee. They will take part in setting the tone and direction of the Caucus Committee moving forward.
The Committee has to its credit added several new candidates to its Executive Committee slate who were not actively campaigning to remove our vote. Yet, three of the four senior leaders up for election were active in the decisions to 1) declare the November 2022 vote non-binding when the outcome didn’t affirm their mayoral candidate, 2) changed the 2023 Spring ballot to a “yes” only option, and 3) wrote, proposed, and campaigned for the CPA amendment to remove the vote entirely from Caucus bylaws, which has been in place and protected the right for the Caucus general membership to vote since 1956.
Can we be confident they will lead with integrity and be responsive to general Caucus members who have been clear that they want a right to participate and vote?
We leave that to you to decide.
The Caucus holds two votes each year. The Fall Annual Meeting vote, when general Caucus members (again, all registered voters living in Lake Forest) vote on the Caucus Committee’s recommended candidates for Mayor, Alderman, and School Board, and the Spring Annual vote when general Caucus members vote on the Caucus Committee Executive Officers, the leadership team responsible for Caucus operations and decision making.
Voting is a hallmark of our democracy at all levels of government. A majority of voters in Lake Forest understand the power of “we, the people” and came out last fall to express their view of its value and importance to our community.
Executive Committee Vote:
April 2nd, 2024
Gorton Community Center
From 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
*The Committee is providing only one hour for Caucus members (registered voters residing in Lake Forest) to cast their votes, so please plan accordingly.
Chris is the current president of the Lake Forest Caucus.
Chris has lived in Lake Forest since 2011 with his wife and two sons. Born and raised in Chicago, Chris graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Computer Science. He has spent his career in the telecommunications and technology industries.
Founded in 1935, the mission of the Lake Forest Caucus is to recommend qualified citizens to serve in Lake Forest government and on the School Boards via an independent, nonpartisan process. All Lake Forest registered voters are members of the Caucus.
Episode 20 - Superintendent Dr. Matt Montgomery And D115 School Board President John Noble Address Recent Accusations
Matthew Montgomery, Superintendent of Districts 115 and 67 and John Noble, President of the District 115 School Board. Dr. Montgomery and Mr. Noble first appeared on this podcast last November. We’re having them back today to catch up on recent events at Lake Forest High School.
I wish I could have met Louis F. Swift. A hundred years ago, he owned the Green Tree Inn on the west-side at Waukegan and Everett Roads. I can only imagine it would have been a lively community meeting place where people would go and share family stories and news. I would have liked to listen to those conversations about early Lake Forest. When our family moved from Chicago to Lake Forest 20 years ago, we knew when we entered Lake Forest city limits that we entered a very special place. We just didn’t know how special. I was nostalgic for a place I never knew.
It's no mistake that people feel that specialness in Lake Forest. The historic tree canopy, ancient land formations, human-scale business district buildings, planned roads and an open forest park beach. City founders were deliberate right from the start in their selection of land and the planning of the east and west sides roads of Lake Forest. But it's more than just roads that make Lake Forest special. It's the details. From the ornate weather vanes on the top of Market Square, to the pitched roofs on business buildings, to the forged metal fence at Gorton Community Center, each of these details have a history attached to them. The totality of these details evoke the essence of Lake Forest that one feels. It's a gift that keeps on giving. Just when you think you know everything about Lake Forest, you find a swinging bridge at the end of Laurel Avenue, or perhaps you find a hidden wood-carved bench at the very north end of the Forest Park Beach bluff, or maybe you found the dog fountain at Triangle Park. The city's Dr. Seuss-like staff keep our streets and park immaculate, making life just easy. It was planned that way.
Although Louis F. Swift's meat-packing business was in Chicago, his home was in Lake Forest. A tranquil, genteel solace to find peace with friends and family. Forefathers ensured that the community was well-planned for families. A hundred years ago, buildings were moved or recycled to make way for a new Market Square. Bank Lane was named appropriately to demonstrate stability and security for investors in the new business district. Lake Forest was powerful enough to have the President of the United States place the Army on the south and the Navy on the north of this new Lake Michigan community. Lake Forest College (1857) was actually here before the City was even founded (1861). In fact, the east Lake Forest train station parking lot has four different historic property owners, including Lake Forest College.
Generations of Lake Forest families have ensured the stewardship of historical sites, homes and buildings. But, without historical knowledge, will future generations continue to steward the details? The foundation of our planned community was/is built on shared values from generation to generation. There are historical reasons why buildings are not higher than three stories. Our city is now on the fifth generation of founding families, many who have moved away. It will be a challenge to rely on historic family philanthropy, many who contributed to public projects because they believed in a beautiful community. With the loss of our generational and institutional knowledge, are we at risk of drifting from our foundational values and plans? Sophisticated design buildings like City Hall, the old Fire Station (now Le Colonial) and the east-side train station are local gems, why would we accept mediocrity in the future?
Oh, to be nostalgic for a place I never knew. Subtleness, historic, iconic, quiet nights, the Green Tree Inn, brilliant planning, a time that harkened to a purposeful life with stewardship and community. Our family's children have moved on, bolstered by a fine Lake Forest education. When they come home, we walk on the beach, eat fish and chips at The Pub and talk about their“good old days”.
--
Susan L. Kelsey,
Author | Filmmaker
Copyright © 2023 Lf4transparency - All Rights Reserved. Info@LF4Transparency.com
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.