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 President Gibson King voting Yes. Trustee Gomez said she opposed the practice of withholding names and called for restoring earlier transparency in personnel reporting.

The board also approved a district contract renewal for workers’ compensation administrative services with JW Specialty Company. A board member described the contract as the district’s workman’s-comp arrangement, noting the company manages claims, coordinates with attorneys and medical providers and has worked with the district for more than eight years. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with all trustees recorded as Yes.

Trustee Gomez voted No on the board’s approval of a contract with a vendor identified as “Revolution,” reiterating concerns about a lack of a competitive bid process. “We never bid this project out,” Gomez said. She noted that two local former principals who had ties to the district were not considered vendors and argued they would have been familiar with Indiana standards. The motion to approve the Revolution contract passed on roll call with Gomez voting No and the remaining trustees voting Yes.

On personnel-report transparency, Trustee Taylor said she voted Yes to avoid delaying measures that affect livelihoods, but she repeated her preference for increased transparency and said she and the superintendent will work on a solution. Trustee Gomez said she reviewed personnel reports from 2024 and could no longer find comparable public records since the district changed its practice.

The board appointed Danny Bishop to the East Chicago library board to fill the unexpired term of Guadalupe Lopez, which runs through Feb. 27, 2027. A board member cited Indiana Code 36-12-2-9 when placing the appointment on the record.

Several administrative memoranda of understanding were approved. Trustees discussed one MOU item’s typographical error in paragraph 8 — whether a term was one year or three years — and a board member clarified the intent was one year before the roll call approval.

Votes at a glance - Approval of agenda — Motion: approve agenda; Mover: Trustee Smith; Second: Trustee Rodriguez; Outcome: approved (unanimous roll call Yes). - Consent agenda (4.04) — Mover: Trustee Rodriguez; Second: Trustee Gomez; Outcome: approved (unanimous Yes). - Policy PO 6423 (use of credit cards) — Second reading; Mover: Trustee Rodriguez; Second: Trustee Taylor; Outcome: approved (unanimous Yes). - Personnel report (6.01) — Motion to approve after a failed motion to table; Outcome: approved (Gomez No; Smith, Rodriguez, Taylor, Gibson King Yes). - JW Specialty Company administrative services (6.02) — Motion to approve contract for workers’ compensation administration; Outcome: approved (unanimous Yes). - MOU with Lake County Foster Grandparent Program (6.03) — Motion to approve; board clarified paragraph 8 intended to be a one‑year term; Outcome: approved (unanimous Yes). - Appointment to library board, Danny Bishop (6.04) — Motion to appoint; cited Indiana Code 36‑12‑2‑9; Outcome: approved (unanimous Yes). Term expires 02/27/2027; fills unexpired term of Guadalupe Lopez. - MOU with Indiana Northwest Athletics (6.05) — Motion to approve; Outcome: approved (unanimous Yes). - Contract for Revolution (6.06) — Motion to approve; Trustee Gomez voted No citing lack of competitive bidding; Outcome: approved (Gomez No; others Yes).

Board members said they will pursue follow-up steps on transparency and vendor procurement practices. Trustee Taylor said she and Superintendent Dr. Steven Bonet will work on a personnel-report process that balances transparency and privacy. The board did not take additional formal action on procurement procedures during the meeting.

Ending: The board moved on to public forum and trustee remarks before adjourning. Future agenda items mentioned during the meeting include a possible March presentation returning with bond documents for a facilities borrowing process and continued work on personnel-report transparency.