District 58 Board Elects New President in Surprise Move

In a special meeting Tuesday, Steve Funk ousted Elizabeth Davis as president of the District 58 school board on a 4-2 vote.

Funk, who is midway through his first term on the board, had served as board vice president since 2009, when Davis was elected president. Her predecessor in the position, Joe Leo, had not sought re-election.

Davis was elected April 5 to her third term on the school board. She, incumbent John Miller and newcomer Doug Purcell were sworn in at Tuesday's reorganizational meeting.

After the newly sworn members assumed their seats, nominations were called for president of the board. Member Sallie Lupescu nominated Davis, as widely anticipated. The District 58 school board has a history of long-serving presidents, with Tom Cunningham leading the District 58 board for eight years before stepping down in 2007 in response to increased job responsibilities.

Following Lupescu's nomination, Member John Cooper tapped Funk. "Maybe Liz would like to take a break and, as an option, I'd like to nominate Steve Funk," he said.

When the vote was called, Davis joined Lupescu in voting for her nomination, while the other members voted for Funk. Lupescu was subsequently elected board vice president by a unanimous vote.

Davis said Funk's nomination came as a surprise. "I clearly was fully prepared and more than willing to remain as board president. During the last two years, I've demonstrated leadership and professionalism in moving the board forward in a difficult situation."

Among the difficulties faced by Davis during her tenure was a lawsuit brought against her by District 58 after she declined to vote on or sign a measure approving the sale of $13 million in general obligation bonds for roof and playground repairs.

The legal maneuver was recommended by the district's counsel in an effort to determine whether then-member Scott O'Connell intended to sue the district the prevent the bond issue, which he alone opposed. Davis was later reimbursed by the district for her legal expenses and the measure was adopted.

O'Connell declined to run for re-election and did not attend Tuesday's special meeting. Remarking on his absence, Davis said, "I was going to thank Member O'Connell for his four years of service." Noting that board members serve as volunteers, Davis commended O'Connell's consistent attendance at board meetings, building tours and coffees and noted he "brought a different perspective to the board."

Funk, who had tangled with O'Connell on occasion,  told Downers Grove Patch he had sought the nomination as board president because, "I just think the district needs to be run more like a business."

"We need to make sure there's adequate funding for future capital projects that come up," he said, adding the district is currently "fully funded enough to have funds set aside to take care of future capital projects."

"I'm not saying the district is running badly," he said. "There are some things that from my experience at managing businesses I can offer...I really understand the finances of the district."

Funk said he, Miller, Cooper and Purcell—all of whom work in business—offer a different perspective. "The whole country is going in that format. Everyone's accountable. We have to make good decisions. "

Although the district is "very well run," Funk said "we really scaled back on maintenance in favor of staffing."

"Our teachers are well-paid and need to be rewarded for their services," he said. "Over the years, we've sacrificed repairing things to maintain staffing. You can only do that for so long before it catches up to you."

However, he emphasized that "the most important thing is not cutting staff." 

His election was "a very last minute thing," Funk said, but in doing so, "the board spoke."

Davis noted the board as a whole provides direction to the district, and the board president follows those consensus decisions. "While the majority chose to elect a new president, I will continue to serve as a dedicated board member for the parents, students and community that just elected me," she said.

"I've always done that and I will continue to do that."