Police report: Hinsdale District 86 board member threatens relative of business owner over “Vote No” referendum signs

DARIEN (Heartland Newsfeed) — A Hinsdale Township High School district vice president may be facing legal action following harassment of a local business owner’s relative over signs placed in his yard.

The relative, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation and repercussions against the family and business, recalled the incident on social media.

The official in question is Kevin Camden, the district’s current vice president, who harassed the anonymous individual over signs placed on his property, citing opposition to a referendum measure under consideration in Tuesday’s consolidated election.

“He [Camden] stated that he would never recommend … because of the signs in the yard,” the individual stated in his Facebook post. “I calmly explained to him the ‘Vote No’ position, and the inequities between Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South and he agreed with some of my points. I also stated how shameful it was of him to threaten a local veteran-owned [two tours of duty in Iraq as a paratrooper] business over a school referendum.”

The Darien Police Department was later involved — who investigated the matter — expressed that it wasn’t a “good look” for a sitting school board member to be having harassment police reports filed with the department. Camden even went as far as stating to the officer that “he didn’t expect anyone to answer the phone on a Sunday morning,” as recalled in a follow-up post.

“District 86 has sent out at least five mass mailings at taxpayer expense advocating for the need for a referendum such as JFK’s picture and saying ‘we haven’t had a referendum since 1962,’” Skoda added. “Additionally, they called themselves ‘Fix It 86’ and use similar colors as the Yes campaign. I know countless citizens who think these were yes fliers. The taxpayer fliers do everything but use the word YES. IMO they have crossed the legal line of campaigning.”

Camden’s harassing phone call is the latest incident of referendum supporters resorting to bullying and even threats of physical violence against those who oppose the tax increase. Tuesday’s vote is the third try in two years by the district to get a referendum passed.