Incumbent Keeps Seat, Newcomers Join D135 School Board

In one context or another, the term “finance” dominated the run-up to the race and shows no likelihood of subsiding given ongoing county, state and federal woes.

Both candidates Joseph LaMargo and John Carmody—who respectively won and held on to a seat Tuesday—campaigned on their financial backgrounds. LaMargo once served as a county budget analyst, while Carmody works in commercial insurance and chairs the school district’s finance/facilities committee.

Likewise, Tina Zekich, who grabbed the third remaining school board seat and who owns a small law firm, said she had the “requisite qualifications of fiscal responsibility” in her .

Gregory Okon was the only candidate who didn’t tout a financial background. On the contrary, in his he said he never wanted "to be the spokesman for (the district’s) financial matters.” Whether this hurt him in the eyes of voters, or whether he attributes this concession to his loss, is difficult to say. He couldn’t be reached for comment on Thursday.

Board member John Brudnak decided not to run for re-election this year.

Despite pronounced feelings of post-election exhaustion, LaMargo said he was eager to begin his four-year term and “dissect everything.”

“I’m sticking to the same motto as before, and that’s to be an advocate for teachers, students and taxpayers…” he said. “I think the voters sent a message that we need someone in there with experience, and the direction to move the district forward. It’s a great district and we can make it better.”

First on LaMargo’s radar is the school district’s $50 million cash reserve, which he said comprises 72 percent of the district’s annual costs. On the campaign trail, he repeatedly criticized the board for raising its tax levy to the maximum amount.

When asked about it after the district’s meeting in February, Carmody said, “The county gives you a certain range where you can access the funds. Certainly, if we did not put it up to the maximum, somebody else would have taken those funds. Cook County has a hundred school districts that it’s paying out to and everyone puts in for their levy, and they all put in for as much as they can possibly get out.”

John Reiniche, assistant superintendent for business services, followed by saying the reserves allow the district to “make better long-term decisions.” School districts that aren’t so fortunate take loans out, costing taxpayers even more money. In short, he said, you’d rather have interest income than interest expense.

The levy was raised to the maximum amount “to continue to pay our teachers,” he added.

LaMargo doesn’t see it that way, but admits he has a lot to learn.

“I think a three- to four-month cash reserve—30-40 percent balance—would be suitable,” he said. “I think it’s ridiculous that there’s no fund balance policy in place. But that said, I also know I have a lot to learn in this. I’ll be listening and getting a feel for it early on. I will meet again with the parents in PFEs and union reps as well.”

Still, LaMargo had compliments for most of his fellow candidates, one of whom was an incumbent.

“I think Greg Okon is a great guy and he served the board well,” LaMargo said. “I’ve gotten to know Tina (Zekich) a little during the campaign and I think she brings something to the table.”

Carmody had been criticized by several parents for never having sent one of his own children to a District 135 school. They accused him, without evidence, of being a watchdog for the taxpaying interests at St. Michael Parish in Orland Park.

The closest Carmody came to addressing that accusation came in his , in which he stated he was running for re-election because it was his civic duty.

Carmody could not be reached for comment on Thursday. Zekich also did not return multiple messages.

Editor Ben Feldheim contributed to this report.