Norridge School District 80 removes absent board member, looks to fill seat

The Norridge School District 80 Board is moving to fill a seat on the board after elected candidate Adam McGready was officially removed because he has failed to fill the position.

At the Nov. 21 board meeting, a letter was read into the record from Mark Klaisner, executive director of West 40 Intermediate Service Center, the regional center for the district.

In the letter, dated Nov. 16, Klaisner informed officials that, under his authority according to school code, he was ordering McGready's removal effective immediately from his elected position.

Klaisner was acting under the section of school code that allows the regional superintendent or executive director of the immediate service center to remove any member of a school board from office "for willful failure of duties."

McGready, 25 at the time, was the highest vote-getter in the April 4 election. Despite letters and emails from the district, he never showed up at a board meeting to claim his seat. McGready said following the election that he had informed officials he had withdrawn from the board and didn't need to resign.

Cook County and school authorities maintained that it was too late to withdraw and McGready would have to tender a resignation with the board so the district could move forward on filling the seat.

With more than six months elapsed, the board contacted West 40 to ask for McGready's removal.

Now in receipt of notice, the board has 45 days from the date of Klaisner's letter to fill the position, said Board President Srbo Radisavljevic, addressing the issue at the start of the Nov. 21 meeting.

Radisavljevic said the board's hope is to pick a candidate by the next meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 12 in the learning center at Giles School, 4251 Oriole Ave.

Applicants interested in serving should submit a letter of interest along with a resume to the superintendent's secretary at sbuslik@norridge80.net.

Information is also available on the district website at norridge80.org