The Lake Forest Caucus has announced the names of seven residents set to examine the organization’s bylaws as endorsements continue to be rolled out for next year’s municipal election.
On Oct. 10, Caucus President Joe Oriti wrote in an e-mail the Caucus Committee (a group of 43 people that finds residents for the city boards and commissions) approved the selection seven residents to serve on a committee charged with examining and reviewing the organization’s bylaws. In August, the Caucus announced former aldermen Kent Novit and Melanie Rummel would be the chairpeople of the group.
Former Lake Forest City Manager Bob Kiely, Stewart Dixon, Debbie Saran, Geoff Hanson, Derek Johnson and Katie Anderson were selected to join the committee along with Susan Sailor Daly, one of the founding members of Lake Forest For Transparency, an educational advocacy organization.
“The Ad Hoc Committee is responsible for undertaking an independent, objective review of the bylaws of the Lake Forest Caucus and submitting recommendations for revisions to said bylaws to the Caucus Executive Committee by January 31, 2025,” Oriti wrote. “The purpose of the review is to identify changes to the bylaws that will strengthen and further enhance the mission of the Lake Forest Caucus in providing a non-agenda-driven and non-partisan process for recommending and vetting qualified resident volunteers to serve on Lake Forest’s government and its school boards.”
Oriti said 43 people expressed interest in serving on the ad hoc committee, leading to interviews with Rummel and Novit.
The review of the bylaws follows a tumultuous period for the Caucus going back to 2022 when the general membership of the Caucus – in a very unusual move – rejected the Caucus Committee endorsement of mayoral candidate Stanford “Randy” Tack.
The organization’s bylaws were not clear on how to move forward with the negative vote and the Caucus Committee moved ahead with the support of Tack, generating controversy.
Tack was elected mayor in 2023, but afterward the Caucus leadership endured another defeat when the general membership rejected the “Caucus Preservation Act” which would have removed the general membership vote from the approval process on Caucus candidates was voted down last November.
Then earlier this year a proposed officer slate with Oriti as president initially was not approved by the general membership. However, the Caucus leadership then held a second election and this time it was easily approved.
After his election, Oriti announced the examination of the bylaw committee.
The focus now shifts to the Caucus’s Oct. 30 annual meeting, where the general membership will vote on whether to approve the candidate slate proposed by the Caucus Committee for next spring’s elections.
John Trkla, another co-founder of Lake Forest for Transparency, which was created in March 2023 amid the turbulent period, is awaiting the results amid the larger questions facing the Caucus.
“The Caucus Committee is finalizing its recommendations and preparing for the general Caucus members’ vote. With assurances from Caucus President Joe Oriti that the bylaws will be updated and presented for vote next March, to incorporate their legal standing, and that there will be clarity in the bylaws in the event of a no vote, we are hopeful the Committee will honor the outcome of the October vote as we wait,” John Trkla said. “We would have to re-evaluate if the Committee rejects any majority vote.”
In other Caucus-related news, the Caucus Committee has announced its endorsement of Nick Bothfeld to be one of the third ward aldermen.
If elected, Bothfeld would succeed Ara Goshgarian who is stepping down from the City Council after serving the traditional three two-year terms.
Previously, the Caucus Committee announced its support for Stanford “Randy” Tack for a second two-year term as mayor, three incumbent City Council members and Annie Geraghty Helms on the Lake Forest High School board.
Oriti said the Caucus Committee is planning to reveal additional endorsements for the rest of the Lake Forest High School board as well as the District 67 school board by Oct. 17.
The Lake Forest Caucus has been in operation since 1935.
Traditionally, getting the support of the Caucus is a major step toward election as Caucus-backed candidates for the City Council and the two public school boards rarely face opposition in municipal elections.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
