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May 26, 2023

East Chicago schools CFO on paid leave over wipes distribution

The chief financial officer for the School City of East Chicago was placed on

The chief financial officer for the School City of East Chicago was placed on paid administrative leave Friday as the superintendent pursues an investigation into whether she followed procedure by allowing the distribution of sanitizing wipes donated to the schools outside of the school system.

Superintendent Javier Abrego confirmed Monday he placed the school city's chief financial officer Lela Simmons on paid administrative leave pending an investigation concerning district property. Abrego notified members of the board of the action via a letter Friday. A copy of the letter was reviewed by the Post-Tribune.

Simmons became caught up in the investigation after school board member Vanessa Hernandez Orange, who works as the city's parks director and currently is running for an at-large city council seat, distributed sanitizing wipes donated to the school system to residents of one of the city's senior living homes. Hernandez Orange was joined by Mayor Anthony Copeland, who is seeking reelection. Copeland is being challenged by current North Township Trustee Adrian Santos for the Democratic nomination.

In a Facebook post with photos of the April 13 distribution, Hernandez Orange credited the donation to the school city.

Distribution of the wipes last week was labeled a political stunt by board member Jesse Gomez who said Hernandez Orange gave away school property without prior authorization by the school board just weeks before the election in an attempt to garner favor for her campaign.

Gomez and Hernandez Orange are both running for one of three at-large seats on the East Chicago City Council. There are eight candidates running for the seat.

Hernandez Orange last week said the school system received the wipes during the COVID-19 pandemic and still has about 10 pallets left. She said she received permission from Simmons to distribute the wipes because the school system was trying to get rid of them before they dried out.

She declined to comment Monday and said as a school board member she was instructed to refer questions to the attorney, board president or superintendent, and out of respect for the positions would be doing so.

School Board President Joel Rodriguez confirmed Monday Abrego had launched an investigation into the matter.

"We are basically just following the superintendent's lead at this point. That's the important part," Rodriguez said.

Gomez Monday declined to provide further comment on the record.

Abrego would not go into specifics of the investigation or how long it might take.

"I am also requesting the approval of the school board to have an outside attorney investigate this matter on behalf of the School City of East Chicago. I do not want to use the School City attorney because I feel there may be a conflict of interest," Abrego wrote.

In the letter, Abrego said he wanted to hire an attorney from the firm cch+a Attorney at Law of Noblesville, which defends school boards and administrators on decisions they make on behalf of the district.

"I want them to do this work for us so that I may concentrate on my goal of improving all district schools," Abrego wrote.

He said he was including a memo previously sent to board members explaining his responsibilities versus the role of the board.

"Let us now move forward and concentrate on helping our students succeed," Abrego wrote.

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