Bloom 206 Board Members Sound Off on Law Firms and Family Hiring

Accusations of nepotism and political agendas are flying as Bloom Township District 206 School Board members disagree on upcoming decisions.

The board will be holding a special meeting Tuesday to decide whether to hire newly appointed board president Henry Drake's wife, Shirley, as the accounts payable clerk at Bloom's administration center. The special meeting was called after last week's regular meeting was canceled.

At least one board member is vehemently opposed to the possibility of hiring Shirley Drake and has suggested the hiring of family members is wrong. The same board member also has suggested board members Donald Aprati and William Angell are "too political."

"I have fear that with this new current board, the majority that rules, I see the school district going backwards and it scares me to no end," board member Robert L. Rossi said. "I am very concerned of the political crap that’s going to go on."

Henry Drake, who was chosen as school board president in a 4-3 vote May 4, said Rossi should not be so quick to condemn him for supporting his wife's hiring.

"I got information this morning that Rossi’s grandmother works in the kitchen and the ex-board president’s (Larry Nardoni) wife works in the school system," Drake said. "But that didn't make it into the papers."

Rossi said his grandmother has never worked for the district but that his mother once did, adding that he had nothing to do with her hiring.

"My mother worked in the cafeteria part-time with no insurance, and I didn’t get her the job," Rossi said. "I personally had nothing to do with it."

Drake also said he wonders if some board members have a problem with a young black man from Ford Heights being board president.

"That upsets me to no end," said Rossi, who said he addressed Drake directly about accusations of prejudice. "I said to him, ‘Henry, I couldn’t care less what age you are. I couldn’t care less where you’re from ... I don’t think you would do the best job for school board because you’re too political.’”

Also on the agenda is the firing of Sraga Hauser Law Firm and the hiring of Del Galdo Law Group in overseeing the district's legal matters.

Rossi said he thinks Sraga Hauser is doing a great job and should not be terminated, while Drake told the Southtown Star Del Galdo officials were interviewed 10 months ago and the board discussed hiring the firm back then.

"Did all four of those school board members talk to Del Galdo?" Rossi asked. "If they did, they violated the Open Meetings Act, because we haven’t interviewed anybody."

Both the law groups being discussed at the school board meetings have had ties to the Chicago Heights mayoral election campaigns this year.

The Berwyn-based Del Galdo Law Group, which already works with School District 170 and the City of Chicago Heights, donated $2,000 toward the Alex Lopez for Mayor campaign fund in June of 2010. After Lopez's death in August, that money went to Mayor David Gonzalez's campaign.

Sraga Hauser also has contributed to political campaigns, donating $1,500 to Friends of Joseph A. Faso in March.

Rossi said he isn't sure what the campaign donations mean about either law firm.

"I think it’s something a lot of vendors do whether they feel it’s because they need to do it or want to do it," Rossi said. "I bought a ticket to the Unity Party Fundraiser and went even though I wasn’t on their ticket. I consider that $50 a donation. Does that make me political? I don’t know."

The special school board meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Bloom Township Administration Center.

Sraga Hauser officials declined to comment on the possible changes.

Editor's Note: This article originally said Robert Rossi ran as a member of Joe Faso's Integrity Party. Rossi actually ran independent.