Meeting Summary and Briefs: Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees for August 3, 2026

Joliet Junior College | August 3, 2026

JOLIET — The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, devoted entirely to rebuilding its leadership after the resignation of former Chairman James Budzinski. In a little under three hours, the board elected Interim Chair Nancy Garcia Guillen as chair on a 3-1 vote, failed six straight votes to fill the vice chair’s office her promotion vacated, met in closed session for two hours and 20 minutes, rejected one nomination for the open trustee seat, appointed Tim Bradley on a 4-1 vote and swore him in over a procedural objection.

Full coverage of the appointment and the oath of office, the deadlocked vice chair elections, and the dispute over the ad hoc screening committee and Board Policy 01.27.00 appears in separate stories. The items below round out the meeting.

Board Meets in Closed Session for More Than Two Hours

The board voted to enter closed session at 6:00 p.m. on a motion by Trustee Alicia Morales, seconded by Trustee Elaine Bottomley, citing “the reasons of 2(c)3.” Trustees Bottomley, Garcia Guillen, Harris and Morales voted aye, and Student Trustee Byron McCullum favored the motion. The board returned to public session at 8:20 p.m., with Trustee Maureen Broderick — who arrived at 6:41 p.m. — joining the roll call on the motion to reconvene. No formal action may be taken in closed session; the board’s votes on the trustee appointment followed in open session. The agenda also scheduled a second closed session later in the meeting, but the minutes record that no second closed session was held.

No Public Comments Offered

The agenda included a public comment period near the top of the meeting, ahead of the board re-organization item. When Garcia Guillen called for comments, the board’s executive assistant told her there were none, and the minutes record, “There were no public comments.” The meeting was otherwise entirely procedural, with no action items involving contracts, expenditures or college programs on the agenda.

No Election Needed for Board Secretary

The agenda listed an election of secretary as item 5.3, marked “if needed,” following the elections of chair and vice chair. After the vice chair votes failed, Garcia Guillen told the board, “At this time, there’s not a vacancy for secretary, so there’s nothing that we need to do at this time.” The board took no action, and the minutes contain no entry for the item. Bottomley, as secretary, administered the oath of office to the newly appointed trustee later in the meeting.

Lee Absent; Broderick Arrives During Closed Session

Trustee Michelle Lee was not present for the meeting, and the minutes offer no reason for her absence. That left four voting trustees and Student Trustee McCullum in the room for the officer elections — a configuration that produced three consecutive 2-2 and 1-3 outcomes on the vice chair ballots. Broderick arrived at 6:41 p.m., during the closed session, and voted on the motion to return to public session and on both trustee appointment motions. With Bradley’s appointment, the seven-member board is again at full strength.

Administration Pledges Support, Names Staff on Hand

Before public comment, a senior college administrator told the board the administration “stands ready to support the process throughout the entirety of the process” as trustees worked to fill the vacancy, and said the administration “affirms its commitment … to ensure that the board adheres to all pertinent and relevant rules, regulations, policies and all legal matters.” He identified staff present as the executive assistant to the board, Karen Rezek; the board’s legal counsel; Executive Vice President Dr. Yolanda Farmer; and Senior Director of Risk Management and Compliance Cara Anderson, who led the Pledge of Allegiance. Garcia Guillen opened the meeting by noting it would be conducted under Board Policy 01.45.00 and Robert’s Rules of Order, with counsel serving as parliamentarian under Board Policy 01.03.00.

Adjournment

Trustee Diane Harris moved and Morales seconded to adjourn. A voice vote was taken, all voted yes, and the meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.