🎙️ Former Illinois State Senator Susan Garrett joins the table, and she came with one question for the Lake Forest Caucus: who did the vetting?

Garrett called Caucus President Scott Nehls herself about the committee's proposed District 115 candidate, Jennifer Neubauer. For the record: Neubauer has been proposed, not endorsed. The full Caucus votes Tuesday, October 6, and every registered Lake Forest voter can show up and vote. Neubauer and Nehls are both invited on the show to respond. Garrett also reads from a Lake Bluff resident's letter to Caucus leadership; the claims in that letter are the writer's own and have not been independently verified by LFP.

Then the money. Pete walks Garrett through the districts' own records on Superintendent Matt Montgomery's contract: $298K in 2021, $356K one year later, about $401K now plus retention, and an early five-year deal. LFP asked District 67 for the record of its 2023 vote. Garrett, who wrote the shared-services law, makes the other side's case: one superintendent for two districts could save $100K. So are we saving money, or bidding against ourselves? And does Illinois have too many school districts? Garrett: "Maybe."

[DISTRICT RESPONSE: paste one line here, e.g. "District 67 responded on Oct. 2: ..." or "As of the Friday noon deadline, District 67 had not responded."]

Plus: break-ins in Lake Bluff and why Lake Forest businesses should pay attention, Jeff's Shields Township meeting, why officials won't come on the podcast, and Garrett telling Pete his old Pru Beidler coverage was "totally unfair." Pete has a response.

Shields Township public comment (9/24/26): https://youtu.be/EyHaxGefCtw?t=826

Disclosure: LFP co-host Jeff Urso's wife is the Shields Township supervisor.

Pete's Caucus resignation episode: https://youtu.be/J5eISmMIUS0

🎙️ Pete Jansons — with Jeff Urso, Skoo Walker & former State Sen. Susan Garrett

⏱️ WHAT WE GET INTO

🔥 0:00 — Cold open: "Seems totally unfair, Pete"

🎰 1:15 — Jeff in Vegas: Fremont, Metallica & Woodstock '99

🚨 5:15 — Lake Bluff break-ins: "It's coming to you soon in Lake Forest"

🚓 8:22 — Norwood, county police & a shared-patrol idea

🏛️ 11:39 — Shields Township: public comment & Facebook battles

🗳️ 16:50 — The Caucus's school board picks

👋 18:34 — Former State Sen. Susan Garrett joins

☎️ 20:48 — Garrett calls the Caucus president: "Who did the vetting?"

🔎 23:13 — "How did you prepare for this meeting?"

✉️ 32:05 — A Lake Bluff resident's letter to the Caucus

✅ 37:39 — Accuracy note: proposed, not endorsed. The vote is Oct. 6

🗺️ 38:40 — How the District 115 seats actually work

📋 46:31 — What LFP found in the public record

📱 48:16 — Garrett reads a 2021 "GOP Jen" Facebook post

⚖️ 50:52 — "I'm not from the left. I'm a moderate."

🏫 51:18 — Garrett's shared-services law: too many school districts? "Maybe."

😤 54:22 — "Totally unfair, Pete": the Pru Beidler argument

🪑 56:48 — Five Lake Forest seats, two Lake Bluff: a gentleman's agreement

💰 1:03:47 — Montgomery's contract: $298K to about $401K

🧮 1:05:28 — Garrett's $100K shared-superintendent math

🚌 1:06:37 — Buses, janitorial, insurance: what else could be shared?

🏷️ 1:08:36 — Can a partisan moniker sit on a nonpartisan slate?

🎤 1:09:44 — "Get off the podcast" and why officials won't come on

🌱 1:13:09 — Jeff: "Pete, you have grown"

📌 1:16:56 — Two last things: the district's deadline & an open invitation

🏈 1:18:09 — Homecoming, the Bears & score picks

🔗 UPDATES & LINKS

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▶ Visit: https://www.lakeforestpodcast.com

▶ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/lakeforestpodcast

▶ Newsletter: https://petejansons.substack.com

The Lake Forest Podcast — Not news. Just neighbors. We document. You decide.

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