Elmhurst SD 205 board approves consent agenda and supplemental staffing contracts; FY24–25 audit presentation postponed

At its Feb. 24 meeting, the Elmhurst SD 205 Board of Education approved its consent agenda (with item d removed for separate consideration) and later approved supplemental staffing contracts to fill several hard‑to‑recruit positions.

The board first voted to enter closed session earlier in the evening under provisions of the Illinois Open Meetings Act to discuss personnel and collective bargaining. The motion to convene closed session was moved and seconded and passed 6–0 with one member absent.

The consent agenda (excluding supplemental staffing contracts) was approved by unanimous roll call (6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent). Later in the meeting, after brief discussion, the board approved item d — supplemental staffing contracts — by roll call, again recorded as 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent.

Why it matters: District officials told the board they continue to recruit for permanent district employees but rely on a small field of candidates for specialized roles, requiring contracts with staffing agencies as an interim measure. "These are incredibly difficult positions," an administration representative said, explaining the use of multiple agencies to locate social workers and other student services staff.

Audit presentation postponed: Blomquist, the district business official, said the final FY24–25 audit report was received by the district only the day before and that the auditing firm will present the audit on March 24 to allow adequate time for board and public review. The report has been posted on BoardDocs; Blomquist said the district has not yet posted it to the main webpage pending the audit presentation.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to move into closed session (citing Open Meetings Act sections related to personnel and collective bargaining): passed 6–0, 1 absent.
- Consent agenda (items a–c, e–l; d pulled): passed 6–0, 1 absent.
- Approval of supplemental staffing contracts (item d): passed 6–0, 1 absent.

What’s next: The FY24–25 audit presentation is rescheduled for the March 24 regular board meeting; the board will receive additional information as staffing recruitment continues.