DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek has refused to attend a county board meeting to answer questions about two contracts she approved without seeking bids. The contracts, totaling $265,000, were for the purchase of envelopes and mailing materials related to the March 19 primary election.
Kaczmarek’s refusal comes after 10 board members sent a letter to County Board Chair Deborah Conroy requesting her attendance. The letter cited concerns that the clerk’s office is not following Illinois state law and is not listening to or taking the legal advice of the state’s attorney’s office.
In a written response to Conroy, Kaczmarek stated that she is not an employee of the county board and that her authority to make purchases required by the duties of her office is not subject to restrictions by the board. She cited a 1996 opinion from then-Illinois Attorney General James Ryan that supports her position.
Kaczmarek believes that the board members are making the expenditures an issue in an effort to raise unjustified concerns about the integrity of the election system. She has said publicly that bids were not sought for the contracts due to the need for the materials in a timely manner.
At Tuesday’s county board meeting, Conroy stated that the issue is not about elections, but about procurement and operating a transparent, open and equitable procurement process. Board members were divided on how to proceed, with some expressing concern about the clerk’s actions and others suggesting different courses of action, including censure, requesting the involvement of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, or taking legal action.
Kaczmarek has threatened to elevate the matter from an internal government discussion to a legal one, stating that she believes a courtroom is the proper venue for such matters to be adjudicated. Taking legal action, if warranted, would require a significant amount of time and money.
