2013 Election NLSD122: Martino, Smith, Adair, Starklauf and Miller

The race for the New Lenox School District 122 Board of Education by far was the most contentious in the town of Proud Americans. Ten candidates were running for five seats. Four seats were for four-year terms and one was a two-year term. 

The top vote-getters for the four-year term were: incumbents Patrick Martino with 20.8 percent of the vote; Sue Smith, who garnered 14.20 percent, along with newcomers Phil Adair, who got 12.23 percent, and Rhonda Starklauf with 11.86 percent.

Incumbents Deborah Kedzior and William Pender lost their bid for re-election, as did candidates Thomas Hottinger and Gregory Look. 

Kathy Miller topped write-in candidate Todd Hyatt for a two-year term. Miller got 1,613 votes or 65.52 percent, compared to Hyatt's 844 or 34.48 percent of the ballots cast for the two-year term.

As practically all precincts were in, Martino told Patch: "I want to thank all the voters who participated in the election. I'm really looking forward to working with all the board members."

After her victory, Miller said, "I'm glad I got back in, and I'm very happy to serve the community. I feel like I'm doing my best for everyone involved—students, the community and taxpayers.

"I don't have an agenda. And I wish I could say that about some of my fellow board members, and I can't."

Why the race got hot: 

In January, the race got hot after the petition by Member Kathy Miller, incumbent, was challenged. Miller got temporarily kicked off the ballot, a move that was later discovered to have been allegedly orchestrated by member Maureen Broderick. 

After the ruling was announced, Board President Nick DiSandro said, "At this point, I think the judge did what was right—reviewed the case and made the right decision based on law. And we move on."  

DiSandro said the objection to Miller's election petition was politically motivated and embarrassing. At a press conference, he shared details of a phone conversation with Broderick he had on Jan. 3, the day the objection to Miller's petition was filed.

DiSandro said Broderick reviewed the petitions of those who filed for the April 2013 school board election and filed objections to the documents turned in by Miller and Hottinger. 

Speaking of Broderick, DiSandro said, "She wrote both statements but she did not sign (the one against Miller)."

That objection was signed by . DiSandro said Broderick didn't sign the objection against Miller, because she wanted to remain seated on the Electoral Board. She also withdrew her objection to Hottinger's petition so she could sit on the board. 

When asked to respond to DiSandro's accusations, Broderick said, "I never told him I wrote it. I never told him that at all. I'm extremely upset that this whole thing is coming to bite me. The main focus is on me now; it should be on Miller. I had nothing to do with what he is alleging that I did."

Thereafter, Broderick was chastised publicly by the board and by the teachers union. Earlier this month, Miller followed up on a threat to sue Broderick if she didn't resign her position on the board. .

The petition debacle stirred a hornet's nest both on the board and among the watchful eye of residents. In response to the negative squabbles that marked the race, Todd Hyatt, New Lenox, filed as a write-in candidate, opposing Miller in her bid for a two-year term.

Get news alerts and Facebook updates from these Lincoln-Way Patch sites:

• New Lenox newsletter and New Lenox Patch Facebook

• Frankfort newsletter and Frankfort Patch Facebook

• Mokena newsletter and Mokena Patch Facebook