Ex-D205 Official Took Cut Going To Elmhurst
ELMHURST, IL – Former Elmhurst School District 205 official Todd Schmidt took a pay cut and got himself a long commute when he was hired six years ago.
Schmidt, who was arrested on felony charges in Rockford in November, held top positions in the Rockford Public Schools for nearly two decades. He left as the chief operations officer.
In July 2018, he started as facilities director for the Elmhurst schools, overseeing $168 million in voter-approved projects, among other things.
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He left Rockford with a salary of $136,291 and started in Elmhurst at $133,579, nearly $3,000 less in pay, according to public records. His pay reached $146,000 as of last school year. (It is unclear whether Elmhurst or Rockford has better benefits.)
Changing jobs to Elmhurst, Schmidt’s commute increased to more than an hour, compared with about 20 minutes to the Rockford district’s main office, which is across town from Schmidt’s house.
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In Rockford, where Schmidt grew up, he directed a department of about 900 in-house and privately contracted employees, according to an Elmhurst District 205 new release announcing his 2018 hiring. The workers were in facility maintenance, custodial services, transportation, nutrition services, materials management, construction engineering and life safety.
In his Rockford job, Schmidt was responsible for $68 million in annual spending as well as a $250 million building improvements plan, the news release said.
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The Rockford district has 27,000 students, more than three times’ Elmhurst’s enrollment. Rockford is considerably poorer, with three-fourths of students coming from low-income families, compared with about 15 percent in Elmhurst.
Schmidt appeared to leave the Rockford district under happy circumstances.
In his June 14, 2018, resignation letter, Schmidt said he would leave at month’s end.
“This was not an easy decision to make,” Schmidt said in the letter, addressed to the superintendent and the district’s attorney. “The past 18 years have been very rewarding. I’ve enjoyed working with you and managing a very successful team dedicated to a quality environment for students and staff.”
He wished the school district the best.
“If I can be of any help during the transition, please don’t hesitate to ask,” Schmidt said.
When Schmidt departed Elmhurst district Dec. 9, his one-sentence letter simply stated that he was resigning.
In Rockford, Schmidt and his wife, Rita, are accused of swindling tens of thousands from his mother.
Earlier this month, Patch reported Schmidt used his Elmhurst district credit card for $46,615 in personal expenses, including booze, cigars, groceries, restaurants, country clubs and a sorority. The district’s policy bars such use of credit cards.
Schmidt reimbursed the district with monthly checks. In similar cases in Illinois, officials have been charged criminally with using government credit cards for personal spending.
The district has declined to say who approved Schmidt’s arrangement, but it says it takes the situation “extremely” seriously. His supervisor was Chris Whelton, assistant superintendent of finance, who remains on the job.
The district said it is investigating.
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