Budget, Superintendent or New Board Member: What's Most Important Issue for D161?

Give this to the board of this year: There's never been a dull moment.

The newest wrinkle is finding a replacement for board member Dee Molinare, for . , replacing David Izzo, .

Applications for her seat, which runs through 2013, must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, and are available at the district's website or . Applicants must be:

• a U.S. citizen
• at least 18 years old
• an Illinois and D161 resident for at least a year
• a registered voter

Filling Molinare's seat is yet another weighty undertaking on the board's radar as it goes into the new year. The other two tasks include:

Finding a permanent superintendent: Former Superintendent Keith Pain resigned this summer, and Barb Rains, Summit Hill's human resources and public relations director, has been filling the role in the interim. Last week, the board held a special meeting to get public comments on what taxpayers and parents want in a superintendent. The board will take those comments, along with input from parents and teachers surveys, and discuss them at a workshop Dec. 13, said board President Mary Kenny.

Meeting the budget: As a way to cover about a $2 million budget shortfall, , including possibly closing either or .

Make no mistake, each of these decisions is considerable when it comes to the future of D161. But does one, in your opinion, rise above the others when it comes to import? Take the poll and tell us what you think. Plus, give your views in the comments section on how the board she be tackling these tasks.