Howard Handler, Renita Davis, Sharhonda Jones, and Clyde McLemore are sworn in as members of the Lake County Regional Board of School Trustees on Monday. (Photos by Gregory Harutunian/For Chronicle Media)

A two-year controversy ended with the swearing-in ceremony of new members at the Lake County Regional Board of School Trustees meeting Monday.

Clyde McLemore was administered the oath of office, along with three other individuals, for a seat on the board.

McLemore, 66, was denied a board seat after receiving more than 43,000 votes and winning in the April 4, 2023, election. A clerical error committed by the office of then-Lake County Clerk Willard Helander had placed him on the ballot in a township with a sitting board member, Julie Gonka.

“When I came here two years ago, there were police waiting outside,” said McLemore. “I was told to resign as trustee-elect by the county state’s attorney’s office. That was how I came to know Michael Nerheim, and other people that have been along on this journey.”

While the board refused to acknowledge McLemore’s status as an elected candidate, its president, Alison Baker Frank Packer recommended that he run in 2025. He did, and won with more than 36,000 votes. He was sworn in with Renita Davis, Sharhonda “Shai” Jones, and Howard Handler by the Ex-Officio Secretary, Michael Karner.

“I’ve known (McLemore) for a while and glad that he found space on the board,” said Davis. “I look forward to working with him and finding my own niche.”

After a short discussion, Phillip Deruntz offered his services going forward for the vacant board president position. He was selected on a unanimous tally, by all seven board members.

“This elected board hears petitions for annexations, detachments, and changes in school district boundaries,” said Karner. “As the regional superintendent, I act as the ex-officio secretary to the board. The regional office maintains all records of petitions heard in the region.

Raven Burnett, a 19-year old college student, was formerly mentored by McLemore to stay in school. She attended the meeting Monday to watch McLemore take the oath of office.

“The main responsibilities are the hearing and disposal of petitions for changes of school district boundaries,” he said. “We also convene when school districts want to withdraw from joint agreements or cooperatives, as well as the appointment of appraisers and approval of final settlements in the division of assets, when new districts are formed.”

Meetings for the regional board are infrequent and hold an oversight purpose. Gonka and Packer both retired from the board on Monday, after serving tenures of 2007-2025 and 1992-2025, respectively. “It’s bittersweet,” said Packer.

In taking his seat, McLemore now holds an elected position that will act on district school board concerns, as an intermediary with the state. His previous bids for office were unsuccessful, such as the Waukegan Park District Board.

Two failed bids to join the Zion Elementary School District 6 Board of Trustees were  marked by attempts to block his candidacy because of a prior felony conviction.

“The second time that they disqualified me, and I had to go to court,” McLemore said. “I won, but they got what they wanted. It was too late to mount any type of campaign and get funds together. I also ran for Zion Township Supervisor, and later became good friends with Cheri Neal, who won.”

Julie Gonka and Alison Baker Frank Packer retired from the Lake County Regional Board of School Trustees on Monday.

McLemore is the founder and executive director of Black Lives Matter-Lake County Chapter, and a community activist since moving from Chicago, three decades ago. Activities through the organization have been varied to include organizing skating parties and movie trips for younger students, during school breaks.

During 2019-20, BLM gave away an estimated 1,500 food bundles for underserved families, and obtained PPE COVID materials, directly from Chicago-based businessman Willie Wilson, owner of Omar Medical Supplies.

His work in mentoring young people came full circle at Monday’s ceremony, with 19-year old student, Raven Burnett, in attendance.

“I used to mentor her, when she was in the seventh grade, and just hated school, and wanted to quit,” McLemore said. “Today, she was there to watch me take the oath. She’s now at student at Northeastern University. This is what it’s about … achievement.”