Publications & Sites 
Treasurers office shelves some suggestions
Related Stories
Updated: January 14, 2013 6:24AM
Not every reform suggested by the Better Government Association is being considered by the board overseeing the Lyons Township School Treasurer’s Office.
The watchdog group called for Theron Tobolski of McCook and Karen Civinelli of Bridgeview to resign, because they served on the board and “exhibited poor oversight of employees and agency functions” while former treasurer Robert Healy was in office.
Board President Mike Thiessen, who was appointed in July, said the three members haven’t discussed the need for resignations.
“I don’t think that would be expected,” Thiessen said. “These trustees are elected. If people don’t want them, they’ll be voted out.”
Healy “usurped the system and knew how to hide things to get around the auditor, the lawyer and an independent, elected board,” Thiessen said.
The BGA also suggested the office be abolished as another layer of costly government and instead have the member school districts take on the payroll and investment functions.
Thiessen disagreed, saying it would cost school districts more to hire their own payroll clerks and investment managers. The treasurer’s office with nine employees functions as a financial cooperative and is funded by proceeds from the pooled investments of the 13 member districts, he said.
