Divisiveness an issue in New Lenox School Board election

NEW LENOX – Seven candidates – including two incumbents – are vying for three spots on the New Lenox School District 122 Board.

Maureen Broderick, with 12 years on the board, and board President Nick DiSandro are both up for re-election.

They share a ballot with candidates Michele Rosenfeld, a divorce attorney; Jonathan Cohen, a chiropractor and Kankakee Community College professor; Nicole Swallow, who holds a master’s degree in accounting; Albert Haring, a math teacher in the school district; and William Pender, assistant principal at Joliet Catholic Academy.

Several candidates said part of the reason they’re running for the school board is its history of divisiveness.

The board’s past controversies include a federal lawsuit filed against Broderick by outgoing board member Kathy Miller over an issue regarding Miller’s petitioning to become a board member. Broderick filed the lawsuit against the board for refusing to pay legal fees associated with the lawsuit against her.

At the time, tensions on the board were high. The case against Broderick has since been dismissed, Broderick said, and she’s “since moved past it.”

Maureen Broderick

Broderick, 57, who has served on the board since 2003, said her knowledge of the district and its budgeting makes her a valuable candidate on the board.

In the past, communication to the public, and among board members, has fallen short, she said. That’s something she would like to work on.

Broderick said she’s a previous ambassador for the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce, a former treasurer for the Lincoln-Way Businesswoman’s Association and served as the president of the Chicago National Association of Mortgage Professional Women.

Jennifer Babbington

Babbington is a stay-at-home mom who previously worked with LaSalle Bank, now Bank of America. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in business from Marquette University in Wisconsin. Babbington moved to New Lenox with her family in April 2013.

Her experience in the financial sector will help her in crafting the district’s budget with fellow board members, she said. Some of her priorities would be to keep a watchful eye on taxpayers’ dollars, student achievement and to communicate with the public.

“We need to find ways to be more efficient” with state budget cuts on the docket, she said.

Albert Haring

Haring, 57, is a high school math teacher within the New Lenox School District. Some candidates have criticized his potential dual role as a teacher and as a board member, if elected, as a conflict of interest. He doesn’t see it that way.

“I can understand that point of view, but I think the people that know me know that I try to consider all points of view and come to a fair decision,” Haring said.

He also thinks his experience in education – including a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in education administration – makes him more than qualified to serve on the board.

Michele Rosenfeld

Rosenfeld, 46, has been an attorney since 1997 and previously worked with the Board of Trade and Swiss Bank Corporation.

Her background as both an attorney and in various areas of the financial sector makes her a good candidate.

“As a divorce attorney, I’m used to dealing with people in adversarial situations,” she said. “Every board member was elected by voters, and each board member should have opportunity to speak their viewpoint. It’s disrespectful not to allow that.”

Jonathon Cohen

Cohen, 33, a chiropractor and a professor of anatomy and physiology at Kankakee Community College, said his experience running a small business would help him during the budget process.

“I’m comfortable managing a budget,” he said. “I taught at the high school level for a year. Now I’m working at a community college. I get the end-product of our students.”

Cohen said he’s never run for public office before, but he decided to run because he “felt a need to be more active in the community.” He said he also wants to foster a “culture of respect” on the board.

Nicole Swallow

Swallow, 39, a health care network financial analyst, said she desires to run for the School Board because she has a vested interest in the school district her children attend. She said she wants to continue the district’s prosperity and use her financial background to help it weather potential financial hardships.

“I wanted to throw my hat in the ring and get involved with what has been going on with the board and contribute what I have to offer to the board,” she said.

Swallow said the most pressing issue for the school district would be the state funding crisis. She plans to work well with other board members and take all matters into consideration.

Repeated calls to Nick DiSandro were not returned. Messages left at a phone number associated with William Pender were not returned.

• The Herald-News Reporter Felix Sarver contributed to this report.