Embattled Winnetka Parks commissioner faces more disciplinary action

A majority of Winnetka Parks commissioners again found themselves at odds with board-mate Colleen Root during the Park Board’s most recent meeting.

During the July 23 session, Park Board President Elise Gibson, at times joined by other commissioners, scolded Root over a park-district-related email she sent via her personal email account, and for the second time in five months, the board voted (6-0) to discipline Root.

The approved motion states that Root must submit a letter of apology to the Park Board and a letter of correction to the resident with whom she was emailing about park district activities.

The July 8 email exchange, a copy of which was included in the July 23 meeting materials, includes a resident’s message to Root’s personal email account featuring complaints about a recent park district survey regarding the organization’s evolving mission and vision statements. Responding through the personal account, Root gave her thoughts on Park Board decisions and her fellow commissioners.

Gibson reportedly discovered the communications and inserted a line item about them and potential disciplinary action against Root in the July 23 meeting agenda. The item came up for discussion more than four hours into the five-and-a-half-hour session.

Root opened the conversation by reading a statement in which she confirmed the email exchange, calling it a personal conversation with a friend and defending her right to express an opinion. She asked how a “private correspondence” became a part of a public document — a question that went unanswered during the meeting.

Notably, both the resident’s email and Root’s response included verbiage — “feel free to disseminate” and “let your contacts know,” respectively — encouraging the circulation of the messages. In a followup phone call, Gibson told The Record that a resident forwarded the email exchange to the Park Board.

Following Root’s opening, her fellow commissioners took turns expressing everything from disappointment to annoyance to anger at the emails and Root’s conduct.

Most took offense to Root referring to the “majority of” the board as “compromised” in her reply to the resident, who said in their email that Park Board members may be seeking “personal enrichment” with certain changes to the district’s mission and vision statements.

In that context, Commissioner David Seaman said that Root’s response to the resident was inappropriate.

“I think when an email comes in like that it’s our duty to try to round out their information,” he said, before reciting an example of how he would respond. “That’s how we’re supposed to respond to the public — to inform and educate, not to sow distrust of this agency and this board.”

Gibson called Root’s email actions “libelous and destructive.” She later alleged that Root violated three portions of the Park Board’s code of conduct by: 1. not supporting majority opinions of the board, 2. not bringing the email from the resident to the board’s attention, and 3. not pushing the resident’s complaints through the proper channels.

Gibson called on Root to resign, alleging that Root lies to and manipulates some residents into taking her side.

“I call on you to show some humility and accountability and to resign,” Gibson said. “You are unfit to serve. Your desire to hurt this board prevents you from properly serving this district’s residents.”

Gibson is not the first Park Board president to push for Root’s resignation. Former President Warren James regularly and extensively criticized Root in public sessions for her decisions and behavior between 2021-2023. He called for her resignation on more than one occassion.

His successor and ally, Cristina Codo, in April 2024 led a successful motion to censure Root, a measure that limited the commissioner’s ability to engage with park district staff and caused her park district emails to be monitored through April 2025.

In the fall of 2025, Park District Executive Director Shannon Nazzal filed a complaint against Root, alleging that the commissioner had violated the board’s code of ethics and created a hostile work environment. A third-party investigation into the claim lasted months and did not support most of Nazzal’s claims; however, via a 4-3 vote, the Park Board disciplined Root again by further limiting her contact with park staff.

Following Gibson’s call for Root’s resignation on July 23, Root’s rebuttal, which included a refusal to resign, was continually interrupted by Gibson and Corley.

Root again questioned how the Park Board came into possession of the email exchange from her personal account, to which Gibson quipped in part, “You were caught; sorry you don’t like it.”

Gibson suggested the Park Board bar Root from park district events and further monitor Root’s park district email account.

After some discussion, Codo suggested a motion to require Root submit a letter of apology to the board and a letter of correction to the resident. The motion passed unanimously with Root abstaining, and the board agreeing to review of draft’s letter to the resident prior to its release.

Though most commissioners’ expressed dismay with Root, Commissioner Cynthia Rapp struck a different chord, expressing dismay at the recent volatility of the Winnetka Park Board.

“I am sad to see this in our packet,” Rapp said. ” … I share some similar concerns. I do view it as an example of the petty cruelty of local politics on both sides. It’s unfortunate we need to deal with it.” 

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