DuPage names housing board nominees

Seven area residents have been selected to help with “cleaning up the mess” at the embattled DuPage Housing Authority.

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin announced his nominees to the housing authority board as the Wheaton-based agency works to respond to a recent federal audit that found it misspent millions of federal grant dollars. The county board is expected to vote Tuesday on the appointments.

“I believe this new board will continue the task of cleaning up the mess at the Housing Authority,” Cronin said in a statement. “Massive financial and administrative problems exist at the DHA and it will take a great deal of time to resolve these issues,”

His nominees to the unpaid positions on the seven-member housing board are:

Ÿ Michael Brosnahan of Naperville, a senior vice president of lending with West Suburban Bank in Lombard.

Ÿ Kathleen McGowan of Naperville, the retired executive director for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Joliet.

Ÿ Thomas Banaszak of Downers Grove, a retired electrical contractor who works part-time as a building inspector for Hinsdale.

Ÿ Sherrin Ingram of Downers Grove, CEO and chief strategist with the International Center for Strategic Planning in Hinsdale.

Ÿ Mary Alice D’Arcy of Lombard, the recently retired president and CEO of Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley Region.

Ÿ Thomas Good of Wheaton, a partner with the law firm of Gorski & Good, LLP.

Ÿ John Berley of Wood Dale, Addison’s assistant village manager and director of community development.

Cronin’s nominations come three weeks after he demanded — and received — the resignations of the six housing board members who remained when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released an audit report that said the authority improperly spent more than $5.8 million in federal money and failed to adequately document another $4.7 million.

It was the latest of three federal audits. Unlike the two prior reports, the latest audit specifically called for the repayment of nearly $5.1 million. Auditors also recommended that “administrative action” be taken against former Executive Director John Day and the old DHA board.

Cronin, who successfully pushed for the former board to replace Day with an interim director, said new commissioners are needed to address various concerns raised by auditors. As county board chairman, Cronin has the power to appoint housing board members.

Banaszak said he applied to serve on the board because he believes it needs “a new direction.” The biggest challenge facing the panel is determining how the housing authority is going to repay the money that HUD officials say it owes.

“This will be quite a challenge to get things straightened out,” Banaszak said.

It’s a challenge that D’Arcy says she’s prepared to tackle.

“I am not reluctant to pitch in and do whatever I can to help the authority move forward,” she said.

In the meantime, the housing authority’s interim director, Cathy Ficker Terrill, is expected to make a presentation to county board members on Tuesday. Terrill is guiding the agency until the new housing board hires a permanent executive director.