Category Archives: News and Events

2024 Annual Meeting Results

Thank you to everyone who came out to vote! We are excited to share the full results of the Annual Meeting vote on proposed candidates for Mayor, City Council and D67 & D115 School Boards. Out of 951 ballots cast (including individual candidate abstentions), the results are as follows:

City Council

Mayor – Dr. Stanford “Randy” Tack: 823 YES – 95 NO

Ward 1 Alderman – Pete Clemens: 873 YES – 25 NO

Ward 2 Alderman – John Powers: 872 YES – 23 NO

Ward 3 Alderman – Nick Bothfeld: 869 YES – 29 NO

Ward 4 Alderman – Richard Walther: 875 YES – 21 NO

District 67 School Board

Greg Adamo: 902 YES – 27 NO

Timo Berger: 847 YES – 66 NO

Lori Fitzgerald: 793 YES – 141 NO

Jerry Lavin: 879 YES – 34 NO

District 115 School Board

Anne Geraghty Helms: 884 YES – 39 NO

Rob Silvay: 833 YES – 77 NO

The Caucus Committee will now work on filing nominating petitions on November 12, 2024 in order for all of these candidates to appear on the ballot on the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election.

Annual Report 2024

Pursuant to section 3.02 (a) 1-4, please refer to the attached Lake Forest Caucus Annual Report which includes the report of the President, Treasurer, and introduction and recommendation of candidates for the October 30, 2024 Annual Meeting.

View the report here: Lake Forest Caucus Annual Report – Oct 30, 2024

Annual Meeting October 30

The Lake Forest Caucus Annual Meeting is an extremely important event on the calendar. This is the community’s opportunity to affirm the Caucus Committee’s endorsed candidates for elected positions in the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election.

The Caucus Committee has spent the past few months working hard to recruit, vet and recommend candidates for endorsement at our upcoming Annual Meeting. Countless hours of work have gone into this effort.

We are excited to share the full list of proposed candidates for Mayor, City Council and D67 & D115 School Boards.

City Council

Mayor – Dr. Stanford “Randy” Tack (incumbent)

Ward 1 Alderman – Pete Clemens (incumbent)

Ward 2 Alderman – John Powers (incumbent)

Ward 3 Alderman – Nick Bothfeld

Ward 4 Alderman – Richard Walther (incumbent)

District 67 School Board

Greg Adamo

Timo Berger

Lori Fitzgerald

Jerry Lavin

District 115 School Board

Anne Geraghty Helms

Rob Silvay

We believe these candidates possess the skills, experience, and knowledge to best serve the residents of Lake Forest and help lead our community and school districts. You can learn more about City Council candidates here. To learn more about School Board Candidates, please follow this link.

Nearly 100 community members were interviewed as part of the Caucus Committee process that resulted in these recommendations. We thank the many residents who participated in the process for their time, commitment and willingness to serve. Lake Forest is full of amazing volunteers.

Join us on October 30 at Gorton Center to affirm each candidate. Voting will be open between 2pm and 8pm. You can sign up for reminders here.

To be eligible to vote at the Lake Forest Caucus Annual Meeting on October 30th, you must be a registered voter with residency in Lake Forest. ID will be required. The Caucus Committee checks IDs against an up-to-date registered voter list, obtained through the Lake County Clerk’s office, to verify you are a registered voter in Lake Forest. If you are registered to vote in another state, you will not be permitted to vote at the Annual Meeting. We are committed to making voting as easy as possible. Please come prepared and it will be a smooth process.

There is still time to register and you can do that here: https://ova.elections.il.gov/

Meet the School Board Candidates – Oct 22

In preparation for voting at the Annual Meeting, please come and meet the proposed candidates for D67 and D115 School Board on October 22nd, at Gorton Center, between 7-9pm. This is a great opportunity to learn more about why these candidates earned the endorsement of the Lake Forest Caucus Committee.

Meet the City Council Candidates – Oct 29

In preparation for voting at the Annual Meeting, please come and meet the proposed candidates for Mayor and City Council on October 29th, at Gorton Center, between 7-9pm. This is a great opportunity to learn more about why these candidates earned the endorsement of the Lake Forest Caucus Committee.

D67 & D115 School Board Candidates

The Caucus Committee is pleased to announce our proposed School Board candidates for Districts 67 & 115 in the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election. Greg Adamo, Timo Berger, Lori Fitzgerald and Jerry Lavin have been endorsed for the four open positions on District 67. Rob Silvay joins Anne Geraghty Helms as our endorsed candidates for the two open positions on District 115.

We believe these candidates possess the skills, experience, and knowledge to best serve the residents of Lake Forest and help lead our school districts. You can learn more about Greg, Timo, Lori, Jerry, Anne and Rob below.

Dozens of community members were interviewed as part of the Caucus Committee process that resulted in their recommendation. We thank the many residents who participated in the process for their time, commitment and willingness to serve.

You can meet and speak with these candidates at our Meet the Candidates Event at the Gorton Center on October 22, between 7-9pm. Please support their candidacy for D67 & D115 School Boards.

Greg Adamo – D67

Greg and his wife, Kristen, have lived in Lake Forest for the past ten years. They have four daughters, three of whom are enrolled in the Lake Forest public schools. He is currently a member of the District 67 School Board, having been appointed on an interim basis in June of 2024.

Greg is a partner at Clingen, Callow & McLean, where he practices law as a commercial litigator. He has a B.A. from Illinois Wesleyan University, a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Greg and his wife are avid skiers and enjoy watching their daughters on the soccer fields of the North Shore.

Timo Berger – D67

Timo Berger relocated to Lake Forest in 2019 with his wife and daughter, who is currently a 7th grader at Deer Path Middle School. Wanting to set roots and to be an active community member, Timo served on the Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Board from 2022 to 2024. Timo worked most of his career in a Fortune 50 company in various management and executive roles such as in Project Management, Bid Management, HR, Finance and Operations. During that time, he lived in many countries and experienced various industries. He is currently the COO for a healthcare company. In his free time Timo enjoys participating in sports.

Timo has always been passionate about education. He graduated from High School in the US and in Germany. He obtained a Master’s degree in Germany, later obtained an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins University. Timo’s extensive business experience, fiscal responsibility, and role as a District 67 parent, combined with having educators in his family, give him a well-rounded perspective on school board decisions. His background enables him to balance the needs of students, teachers, and the community effectively.

Lori Fitzgerald – D67

Lori’s family moved to Lake Forest in the early 1990’s while she attended Lake Forest Academy. She went on to earn her B.S. in Business and Economics from Lehigh University, while also playing on their field hockey and ice hockey teams. Lori moved back to Lake Forest in 2015 with her three young children because of the exemplary public school system.

Lori has worked in the application and data center infrastructure industry for 15 years, consulting with large global organizations on how they can simplify, protect and transform their internal IT operations. She has experience working in the public sector on large scale projects for both the State of Illinois and the Chicago Public School System.

For fun she likes to run and has completed all six of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and will be competing in Boston for the fourth consecutive year this April. She is also passionate about progressing girls in the STEM field and donates her time with organizations such as Girls Who Game, ITWomen, and Dress for Success.

Jerry Lavin – D67

Jerry Lavin is a resident of Lake Forest and father of four children. For almost 20 years he was a teacher at Deerfield High School, where he taught in the Social Studies and Science departments. From 2018 to 2022, Jerry was president of the District 113 Education Association, which represented certified staff at both Deerfield High School and Highland Park High School.

Prior to teaching high school, Jerry taught law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, Loyola Law School, and John Marshall Law school and was a managing director of IIT’s Center for Law and Financial Markets. Jerry earned his BA in international Relations from the University of Illinois, his JD from Harvard Law School, and his MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University. After graduating law school, Jerry practiced law in the fields of commercial litigation and bankruptcy.

Anne Geraghty Helms – D115

Anne Geraghty Helms is a resident of Lake Forest. She and her husband have two children, one at Deerpath Middle School and one at Lake Forest High School. As Director and Counsel for US Pro Bono Programs at a global law firm, she helps lead the firm’s pro bono program in the United States. Anne’s practice often involves representing children and families, including those in juvenile justice and immigration proceedings, and advising parents as they navigate issues that impact their children, such as child support, domestic violence, guardianship, and housing.

Anne serves as a member of the American Bar Association’s Children’s Rights Litigation Committee, as well as on the boards of the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Georgetown Law Chicago Alumni Council. She is a member of the 2012 class of Leadership Greater Chicago and in 2017 was named one of Crain’s Chicago Business Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago. Prior to serving on the School Board for District 115, Anne served on the District 67 School Board, including for one year as President.

Rob Silvay – D115

Rob Silvay, his wife Keevie, Elizabeth (LFHS ’25) and Katie (LFHS ’27), have been living in Lake Forest since 2020. Rob is Vice President in the Global Mergers & Acquisition Group at Alliant Insurance Services, a large privately held insurance brokerage and consulting firm. Previously, Rob spent 25 years as a Derivates Trader specializing in Energy and Interest Rates getting his start in the pits of the CBOT and CME with O’Connor & Associates. Rob received his MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School in New York, NY and his undergraduate BSBA. in Finance from Georgetown University in Washington, DC .

Rob is passionate about education and has been actively involved in a variety of ways. When his daughters were younger in suburban New York, he helped found a pre-school after a long time pre-school closed abruptly. Later he served on the board of The Tuxedo Park School, a private K-8 school, and currently sits on the Lake Forest Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. Rob very much looks forward to being able to give back to the Lake Forest Community and helping to ensure that our educational opportunities are best in class.

Ad Hoc Bylaws Committee Update

Hello Lake Forest,
I am happy to report that on 10/8/2024, the Executive Committee and Caucus Committee unanimously approved the candidates to serve on the Ad Hoc Bylaw Committee.

I would like to thank all of the 43 candidates who submitted a VPS and were interviewed to serve on this committee. I would also like to thank Kent Novit and Melanie Rummel for their time and diligence in corresponding, interviewing, and proposing the candidates for service on the Ad Hoc Committee.

The seven voting members that will comprise the Ad Hoc Committee are Bob Kiely, Stewart Dixon, Debbie Saran, Geoff Hanson, Derek Johnson, Katie Anderson, and Susan Sailor Daly. The Ad Hoc Committee is responsible for undertaking an independent, objective review of the bylaws of the Lake Forest Caucus and submitting recommendations for revisions to said bylaws to the Caucus Executive Committee by January 31, 2025.

The purpose of the review is to identify changes to the bylaws that will strengthen and further enhance the mission of the Lake Forest Caucus in providing a non-agenda driven and non-partisan process for recommending and vetting qualified resident volunteers to serve on Lake Forest’s government and its School Boards.

The goal for the Caucus Committee is to propose by-law amendment(s) to the community for voting at the Spring Meeting on March 18,2025.

The candidates who were not selected to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee will be invited to serve on a Focus Group which the Ad Hoc committee will utilize to solicit feedback and socialize recommendations regarding the proposed bylaw amendment(s).

An open public meeting of the proposed recommendations for public comment is also encouraged and will be determined by the Ad Hoc Committee.

Kent Novit, Melanie Rummel, and Caucus members Regina Etherton (VP), Dale Tauke (Secretary), and myself will remain engaged with the Ad Hoc Committee by observing and listening in meetings and offering any assistance that may be requested. We will not have voting authority, nor control over the process, in order to achieve an independent recommendation.

The next step is for the Ad Hoc Committee to convene and start this important endeavor.

Stay tuned.

Joe Oriti

Lake Forest Caucus President

Ward 3 Alderman Candidate Endorsement

The Caucus Committee is pleased to announce Nick Bothfeld as our proposed candidate for Ward 3 City Council in the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election. We believe his skills, experience, and knowledge best position him to serve the residents of Lake Forest and help lead our community. You can learn more about Nick below.

The Committee interviewed dozens of community members as part of the Caucus process that resulted in Nick’s recommendation. We thank the many participants in the process for their time and commitment.

Nick will be at the our Meet the Candidates Event at the Gorton Center on October 29, between 7-9pm. Please attend to meet and speak with him and support his candidacy for Ward 3 City Council.

Nick Bothfeld

Nick Bothfeld has been a proud resident of Lake Forest for nearly 30 years, with deep family ties to the community through his wife and her generations-long history in the area. Lake Forest has been an ideal place for Nick and his wife to raise their two children, who are now grown.

Nick has dedicated much of his time to serving the community in various leadership roles. He has been actively involved with the Lake Forest Caucus for many years, and has held the positions of treasurer and president at the Winter Club. His extensive experience also includes serving as treasurer and board chair at the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, treasurer of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, and member of the finance committee for the Huron Mountain Club in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Currently, Nick is vice chair on the Gorton Center board, further reflecting his long-standing commitment to Lake Forest.

Nick’s academic achievements include graduating magna cum laude from Harvard College and earning an MBA from the University of Chicago. He runs Bothfeld Financial Partners, a Lake Forest-based financial planning and investment advisory firm. Outside of work, Nick enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and fishing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and he has a passion for travel, especially birding trips with his wife.

Mayor Candidate Endorsement

The Caucus Committee is pleased to endorse Dr. Stanford “Randy” Tack as a candidate for Mayor. He has served the residents of Lake Forest with distinction since being elected as our Mayor in 2023.

The Caucus Committee asks residents of Lake Forest to join us in support of his candidacy.

Learn more about Mayor Dr. Stanford “Randy” Tack below.  You will have the opportunity to meet all Caucus Committee endorsed candidates on October 29, between 7-9pm at Gorton Center.

Dr. Stanford “Randy” Tack

Mayor Dr. Stanford “Randy” Tack was sworn into office on Monday, May 1, 2023. Dr. Tack earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois and attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Dr. Tack graduated with honors and completed his residency at the University of Illinois in Orthopedic Surgery. While in residency, he was recruited by Lake Forest Orthopedics and specialized in Spine Surgery, prompting a fellowship at Rush Medical Center. He moved to Lake Forest upon completion of his fellowship.

Dr. Tack was founding board member of the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. He was appointed Vice President of the Midwest Orthopedic Network and managing partner at the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. Dr. Tack also served as President of the Lake Forest Club.

Dr. Tack was elected as a Third Ward Alderman in 2011, serving multiple terms from 2012-2018. While Alderman, Dr. Tack served as the Chairman of the Public Works Committee and Fire Services Committee. From 2021-2022, he also served as Chair of the Central Business District Working Group.

Incumbent City Council Candidates

The Caucus Committee is pleased to re-endorse Ward 1 Alderman Pete Clemens for his first full term, Ward 2 Alderman John Powers for his second term and Ward 4 Alderman Richard Walther for his second term.

All three candidates have served the residents of Lake Forest with distinction since taking office. The Caucus Committee feels they will continue to ably serve the community over the next two years and the Committee asks residents of Lake Forest to join us in support of these candidates.

Learn more about the candidates below and you will have the opportunity to meet all three candidates on October 29, between 7-9pm at Gorton Center. The Caucus Committee will be announcing its candidate for Ward 3 Alderman in October.

Ward 1 Alderman Pete Clemens

Pete Clemens is a 30-year resident of Lake Forest and has lived in three of the City’s four Wards. Pete grew up in Minneapolis, MN and moved to Lake Forest following graduation from University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Business with a Bachelor of Science business degree in 1971. Pete joined American Hospital Supply and moved to Lake Forest following graduation.

Pete had a successful career in healthcare as a senior manager at American Hospital Supply, Baxter International, Becton-Dickinson and Company, Dade-Behring, Inc and BioGenex Laboratories. After some time on the West Coast, Pete, his wife Nancy and young son Chase moved back to Lake Forest in 1993. Pete was an Assistant Scoutmaster for Lake Forest Troop 46 where he was an Eagle Scout mentor and the Fundraiser Chair. Pete also co-chaired a major capital campaign for St. James Church and served as Church Council President. Pete has served on the Zoning Board of Appeals and also served on the LFHS Foundation Executive Committee as Vice-Chair for the Business Incubator Program. He serves on the Environmental Sustainability Committee.

Ward 2 Alderman John Powers

John grew up in Lake Bluff, IL and attended the School of St. Mary in Lake Forest prior to attending St. Mary Central High School in Neenah, WI. John moved to Lake Forest with his wife Robin in 1995. He graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia and received an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 2000. John and Robin have a daughter and a son, both attended St. Mary’s and Lake Forest High School. John began his sales career in 1988 working for Scott Paper Company.

Over the past 35 years he has held numerous executive positions in both public and private companies in the fields of distribution, logistics, business development, marketing supply chain, private equity and currently as Director, National Accounts at Abbott Diabetes Care. John served on numerous committees at both the church and school of St. Mary, as a Ward 2 Member of the Lake Forest Caucus, an executive member of the Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Board, a trustee of Lake Forest Community High School District 115 and a board member at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep High School in Waukegan, IL.

Ward 4 Alderman Richard Walther

Richard is a 17-year resident of Lake Forest who has served in various volunteer community roles, including as a member of the Lake Forest Building Review Board (BRB) 2018 to 2023, member of the 2018-2022 Strategic Planning Committee, Deer Path Road Streetscape Committee, and Route 60 Corridor – Vision for the Future Committee. Rich is a licensed structural engineer who specializes in the evaluation and repair of bridges, infrastructure, and buildings. After earning Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, Rich joined the firm of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) where he has recently completed his 34th year of employment and is now retired.

Rich and his wife, Leanna, have been married 29 years and have two adult sons, both of whom attended Lake Forest public schools. Both sons earned their Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Rich, a fervent advocate of Servant Leadership, also thrived within the BSA programs serving as Cubmaster for Pack 148 (Everett School) and Scoutmaster for Troop 46 (First Presbyterian Church). In these roles, Rich guided more than 90 youth to complete their Eagle Scout Award and values the positive contributions these young men made to our community. He currently serves on the Public Works Committee.

D115 School Board Candidate

The Caucus Committee is pleased to endorse Anne Geraghty Helms as a candidate for District 115 School Board. She has served the residents of Lake Forest with distinction since being elected to District 67 School Board.

The Caucus Committee asks residents of Lake Forest to join us in support of her candidacy.

Learn more about Anne below.  You will have the opportunity to meet all endorsed candidates on October 29, between 7-9pm at Gorton Center. The Caucus Committee will be announcing its other School Board Candidates in the coming weeks.

Anne Geraghty Helms

Anne Geraghty Helms is a resident of Lake Forest. She and her husband have two children, one at Deerpath Middle School and one at Lake Forest High School. As Director and Counsel for US Pro Bono Programs at a global law firm, she helps lead the firm’s pro bono program in the United States. Anne’s practice often involves representing children and families, including those in juvenile justice and immigration proceedings, and advising parents as they navigate issues that impact their children, such as child support, domestic violence, guardianship, and housing.

Anne serves as a member of the American Bar Association’s Children’s Rights Litigation Committee, as well as on the boards of the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Georgetown Law Chicago Alumni Council. She is a member of the 2012 class of Leadership Greater Chicago and in 2017 was named one of Crain’s Chicago Business Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago. Prior to serving on the School Board for District 115, Anne served on the District 67 School Board, including for one year as President.

August 2024 Newsletter

Hello Lake Forest,

I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer in Lake Forest or anywhere else you might have spent time. The Caucus Committee is looking forward to continuing the important and meaningful work we have been selected to do during the 2024-2025 Caucus season.

Lake Forest Day Parade

We enjoyed seeing many of you at the Lake Forest Day parade. A big thank you to new incoming Ward 1 Committee members Tyler Lisenby and Emily Clark Delfino who volunteered and led the organization efforts to represent the Lake Forest Caucus in the parade. Thank you to the Committee members and their families who took the time to walk in the parade and pass out candy to a wonderful turnout of Lake Forest Families.

Summer Update

Our first Caucus Committee Meeting is today, August 20, where we will be interviewing three new Caucus Committee members for back-fill positions resulting from a resignation and elevations to the Executive Committee. We will also be holding our annual training program for all committee members, which focuses on interview best practices and implicit bias training.

Over the summer, the Executive Committee and Committee Members have been planning and preparing for the work in the year ahead. I have established two subcommittees, School Board Search and Ward 3 Alderman Search sub-committee. In addition, I have created an Ad-Hoc Bylaw Committee. Please see additional information and status update below on these subcommittees as well as other updates.

Caucus Calendar 2024-2025

The Calendar is full of meetings this year and September and October will be geared towards preparing to present candidates for elected positions to the Community for approval to include on the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election. Lake Foresters will be voting for Mayor, Wards 1-4 Alderman (depending on the Ward you live in), four D67 School Board seats, and four D115 School Board seats.

On July 12, 2024, the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE) released its Abbreviated Calendar of Dates for the 2025 Consolidated Primary Election and the 2025 Consolidated Election which can be found here.

The calendar takes into account two recent statutes (P.A. 103-0586 and P.A. 103-0600) that modified the petition circulation and filing periods of municipal offices for the Spring 2025 elections. This is nearly a month earlier than previous years and affects the Caucus Committee calendar by accelerating the timeline to interview, vet, and recommend candidates to meet the filing deadline for nominating positions on Nov. 12. Therefore, the Annual Meeting will be held on October 30, 2024 at Gorton from 2pm to 8pm for the community to vote for the Caucus endorsed candidates.

It is important to understand and appreciate that the Caucus Committee will have to meet every Tuesday from Aug 20 through Oct 29 to complete this important work. In addition, the two subcommittees will be meeting as frequently as necessary (often times more than once a week) during this time period to select the finalists to interview with the Caucus Committee for a vote on which candidates to endorse and recommend at the Annual Meeting.

2024-2025 Open Positions

We are seeking qualified Lake Forest residents for the following elected and appointed City Positions:

Elected

Appointed

  • Cemetery Commission – One
  • Building Review Board – Two
  • Plan Commission – One
  • Zoning Board of Appeals – One

All community members interested in serving should fill out or update their VPS.

Subcommittee Updates

School Board Search Subcommittee

The school board search subcommittee, led and organized by co-chair Jason Akemann, is comprised of seventeen committee members. Please join me in thanking Jason and the rest of those who are serving on this important subcommittee.

Alderman Search Subcommittee

The Alderman search subcommittee, led and organized by co-chair Cindy Davidson, is comprised of seven committee members. Please join me in thanking Cindy and the rest of those who are serving on this important subcommittee.

All Caucus Committee members were invited to volunteer for the two above subcommittees. A full list of subcommittee volunteers can be found below.

School Board Search

  • Joe Oriti – Co-chair
  • Jason Akemann – Co-chair
  • Regina Etherton
  • Dale Taulke
  • Armando Guzman
  • Janet White
  • Desiree Witte
  • Peggy Siebert
  • Scott Nehls
  • Wyn Cain
  • Alex Wilcox
  • Viktor Brisku
  • Bruce Barger
  • Reid Gustafson
  • Tyler Linsenby
  • Mary Kay Brunner
  • Gene Cartwright

Ward 3 Alderman Search

  • Joe Oriti – Co-chair
  • Cindy Davidson – Co-chair
  • Dale Taulke
  • Peggy Siebert
  • Maya Pearcy
  • Richard Fisher
  • Bert Carstens

Ad-hoc Bylaw Committee Update

The purpose of the ad-hoc committee is to examine the current Bylaws and discuss potential amendments in an attempt to modernize our current Bylaws. My vision for this ad-hoc committee is to engage community members with different perspectives to strengthen credibility and trust in the Lake Forest Caucus so that it may thrive for many years to come.

A few reasons for selecting this ad-hoc committee of community members independent of those currently serving on the Caucus Committee:

  • Independence – since we live and breathe the Caucus Committee every day during our terms we focus on the operational demands and challenges that present in any given Caucus year. This might be perceived as a bias or amendments proposed in a vacuum.
  • Open and public process – forum for engagement and education of the Caucus and Caucus Committee
  • Priority – Not to burden or distract from the focus on the current Caucus Committee schedule based on what needs to be achieved this year while still making progress toward Bylaw amendments.

I have asked Melanie Rummel and Kent Novit to help Regina Etherton (VP) and myself select a group of 6-8 community members to serve on the ad-hoc committee. Others will be chosen to serve on a Focus Group. Many of the details are still to come as the committee will have to agree on timeline, public engagement, process, etc. The most difficult part of this process is to form this ad-hoc committee and the four of us will work together to select qualified volunteers that represent different perspectives in an attempt to gain confidence and trust in the process.

Update – we have received interest from more than 40 community members. Melanie, Regina, Kent, and myself will serve as a nominating committee to recommend volunteers to serve in this endeavor. I will then garner support from the current Executive Committee and Caucus Committee to support these individuals for service. Ultimately, the Caucus Committee will have to present the product that is presented to the Community for a 2/3 majority vote and I want to ensure the Caucus Committee is informed along the way so that it can support this endeavor.

Finance and Fundraising

The Caucus Committee currently has approximately $26,000 in cash. The operating budget for this year includes approximately $26,500 in expenses categorized below:

  • $7,000 Rental space at Gorton for Caucus Committee meetings, subcommittee meetings, public meetings for Open Call, Annual, Spring, and any interim public meetings if necessary
  • $6,000 Caucus Connection mailing – these are the annual postcards sent each year for the Community to vote on incoming Caucus Committee members
  • $6,000 Software/Website expense – Cost to maintain IT costs for the Caucus Committee which includes, website and e-mail communication platforms
  • $3,000 Printing expense primarily for voting ballots at Caucus public meetings as well as other advertising posters, bulletins, etc.
  • $2,000 Insurance Expense for Directors & Officers and General Liability policies
  • $2,500 in Miscellaneous expenses

Note – the above does not include expenses in the event of a contested election. They also don’t include any expenses for a change in operating procedures. For example, if the Bylaws Committee proposes changes that would include new operating expenses like online voting, additional meetings, etc. those changes would have to be weighed with the ability to financial sustain such efforts.

Campaign finance law requires we disclose contributions and expenses to the State Board of Elections quarterly and those financial disclosures are available to the public at Illinois State Board of Elections.

Support the Caucus!

Funding for the Caucus Committee solely relies on contributions. Please consider sending contributions via check made out to Lake Forest Caucus at 736 N. Western Ave, Suite 256 Lake Forest, IL 60045.

You can also make contributions through our website (Paypal fee applies).

In Closing

The Caucus Committee loves to hear from you regardless of whether it is good, bad, or ugly. Please reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns.

Good luck to all the families with children starting school.

Sincerely,

Joe Oriti

President, Lake Forest Caucus