Voters say no, again, to Sycamore school board referendum

SYCAMORE – The Sycamore School District 427 board president said he hears the community’s message loud and clear after a district referendum failed its second straight election.

On Tuesday, Sycamore voters decided to not allow the school district to have at-large elections, with 1,216 voters voting against the policy change and 1,024 voting in favor.

The majority ‘no’ vote means a district policy that prohibits more than three board members living in the same congressional district from serving on the board of education will remain in place. Officials had previously said they hoped the referendum would pass to broaden the candidate pool and ensure all board seats are filled during elections.

The referendum question on Tuesday was also on the ballot for Sycamore voters in November, but failed by a closer margin despite a larger voter turnout. Voters in the General Election election declined to implement the policy change with 6,099 votes against and 5,951 votes for, according to the DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.

Sycamore board president President Michael DeVito said two consecutive failed referenda on the matter sends a clear message.

“Having a general election say no and a consolidated election say no, there’s no other – it doesn’t feel like there’s any other question,“ DeVito said. ”[I] hear you loud and clear community.”

DeVito was one of two candidates from Sycamore township to win a three-candidate race for the two open Sycamore Township board seats.

Had the policy not been in place, 12-year board member Eric Jones would have retained his seat and newcomer Heather Tomlinson, who collected fewer votes than Jones but lives in a different township, would have lost the race.

Instead with the residency restriction still in effect, Tomlinson won her race and Jones lost to newcomer Jonathan “Cole” Regnery.

DeVito as board president has the power to set the board’s agenda. He said he doesn’t anticipate proposing the same referendum for a third time.

“On the basis this community didn’t support it, I don’t know that it’s going to be worthwhile for the board to put it on referendum any time soon, unless something drastically changes about the composition of our populace,” DeVito said.