Matteson, IL—(ENEWSPF)— With Matteson Trustee Emmanuel Imoukhuede now elected to the district 227 school board, Imoukhuede plans to take steps to ensure having no conflict of interest.
Imoukhuede said if a conflict can be drawn while voting, he will not take place in discussion or waive his vote.
“I don’t see where there will be a conflict,” Imoukhuede said.
Howard Hunigan, school district 227 superintendent, said he is not expecting a problem from Imoukhuede serving on both boards. While Matteson is a community that feeds into the school district, there is not a lot of board interaction, he said.
The school board’s conflicting meeting schedule was changed to the 2nd Tuesday of every month, with the Matteson village board meeting on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month.
Matteson Village President Mark Stricker said serving on two boards is a large responsibility, but can be a gray area legally.
“There is no supreme court decision on this,” Stricker said. “The village attorney usually advised not to vote on a conflicting matter.”
Park Forest Mayor John Ostenburg said someone who is serving on two boards would need to be careful not to do something that could be considered a conflict. He also stressed the importance of commitment.
“Personally I feel there’s enough responsibility in one elected position,” Ostenburg said. “You can’t really stay focused if your mind is on other things.”
Imoukhuede said while it is a lot of work, it is a privilege being able to serve on both boards.
“It gives me a sense of service to the people,” he said.
Imoukhuede became interested in serving on the school board when he heard the district wasn’t excelling how it was before.
“I have been a trustee for some time and I believe in serving my community, especially the children,” he said. “I have always believed in the idea all children can excel.”
