Hazel Park board picks Miller Johnson for policy work after contentious public comments about wrestling hire

The Hazel Park Board of Education voted Monday to hire the law firm Miller Johnson to provide a new district policy manual, and later authorized board leadership and district administration to consult that same firm about next steps in a contentious coaching-hire dispute.

The board voted 4–2 to contract with Miller Johnson for policy work after presentations from three firms, with multiple board members citing cost concerns and others saying the district’s current policies and practices need revision. Later in the meeting, following more than two hours of public comment and an extended discussion about how coaches are hired, the board approved a motion (five yes, one abstention) giving the board president and Dr. Wilcox permission to speak with Miller Johnson about the situation and recommended next steps.

Why it matters: Public commenters at the special meeting repeatedly raised concerns about the district’s procedures for hiring coaches, use of the third-party vendor Edustaff, and whether internal applicants receive consistent notice and treatment. Board members said the policy contract and separate administrative changes are meant to clarify hiring protocols and to reduce confusion that, they said, has contributed to community distrust.

Board action and immediate outcome

- Motion to retain Miller Johnson for policy services: motion made by Debbie (last name on record), seconded by Heidi (last name on record); roll-call vote passed 4–2. The firm’s proposal was discussed as an approximately $17,000–$17,500 engagement to produce a policy manual and to assist with administrative guidelines; the exact recurring fee cited in the presentations was described in the meeting as about $17,500. Some board members said Clark Hill (the district’s current counsel) could provide policy support under its retainer at an hourly rate and urged a lower-cost path.

- Motion to authorize district leadership to consult Miller Johnson about the contested coaching hire and related process issues: motion made by Debbie (last name on record), seconded; roll-call result: five yes, one abstention. The motion directs President Hinton and Dr. Wilcox to contact Miller Johnson and report back to the board on recommended next steps.

What public speakers told the board

Dozens of residents and parents addressed the board during an extended public-comment period. Many speakers urged the board to reopen or further investigate the hiring of the high school wrestling coach, while others urged the board to respect staff hires already made by district administrators.

- Don McGinnis (1337 East Granite, parent/coach) told the board he has repeatedly raised concerns and concluded “your process is broken,” saying coaches are being replaced frequently and he provided a timeline of his attempts to contact district staff when he sought to remain in a role. He said, “I keep hearing people say ‘trust the process.’ Well, your process is broken.”

- Caitlin McGinnis (1337 East Granite, parent) alleged improper relationships and investigative conflicts involving district employees and social-media behavior and said a “thorough investigation” would have shown repeated problems. “You cannot trust the process when the superintendent is sitting around having lunch … with a board member,” she said.

- Several parents and current or former athletes described concerns about safety, missing medical supplies at open mats, roster irregularities, and what they described as inconsistent enforcement of rules.

District staff explanation of current practice

Mr. Patterson (district attorney) and HR representatives described the existing practice: coaching positions are posted annually as Schedule B positions; certified staff (HPEA members) have preferential status under the negotiated agreement; nonemployee coaches are hired through Edustaff as at-will employees; and athletic recommendations are processed by the athletic director and HR and then reported to the board. HR staff told the board that the district has begun several administrative changes in response to public feedback, including issuing coach-specific Hazel Park email accounts, a one-year position statement in application letters, and annual evaluation reminders.

Board discussion and concerns

Board members split along fiscal and procedural lines. Some said Miller Johnson’s product was user-friendly and included a web-based linking feature that would keep citations current; others said the district should use Clark Hill services under the existing retainer to avoid an added annual cost. Board members also repeatedly expressed concern that board protocols, policies and administrative practices are inconsistent and sometimes not followed, and they identified the need to align the policy manual, administrative guidelines and day-to-day HR procedures.

Next steps and caveats

Board members directed President Hinton and Dr. Wilcox to meet with Miller Johnson (the board specifically referenced attorney Kevin Sutton as a potential point of contact) to advise on the immediate situation and to recommend appropriate next steps. The board emphasized that any formal personnel action (such as termination or discipline) would need to follow established legal procedures and likely be discussed in closed session. Several board members asked for documentation of past hiring timelines and records to support any additional review.

Ending

Board members said they wanted a faster path to repairing trust with families and staff while avoiding unnecessary expenditure; the policy engagement and the consultation with Miller Johnson were presented by supporters as complementary steps: produce a clearer policy framework and get external legal advice about resolving the current dispute. The board will take the consultants’ recommendations and consider them at upcoming meetings.