East Chicago board approves contracts, MOUs and a library appointment amid personnel-report transparency debate

The School City of East Chicago Board of Trustees on Feb. 11 approved multiple contracts, memoranda of understanding and the appointment of a library board member, while some trustees and members of the public urged greater transparency in personnel reporting and vendor selection.

Board members voted to approve the meeting agenda and the consent agenda, adopted a second-reading policy on use of district credit cards (PO 6423), approved the personnel report, renewed the district’s workers’ compensation administrator contract with JW Specialty Company, approved memoranda of understanding with the Lake County Foster Grandparent Program and Indiana Northwest Athletics, and appointed Danny Bishop to the library board to complete an unexpired term.

The votes came amid public comments and trustee remarks pressing for more open disclosure of the personnel report. Resident Helen Steinbach said she was “voicing my concern again about not having names on a personnel report in front of the public” and asked the board to “change that policy.” Trustee Gomez said the district’s current practice reduces transparency and could make it hard to find prior approvals in the record.

The board approved the personnel report after discussion. Roll call showed Trustee Gomez voting No; Trustees Smith, Rodriguez, Taylor and…