Departing Kane Co. Metra representative proud of tenure

Kane County's Metra board representative, Caryl Van Overmeiren, told county board members she believes she's leaving behind a positive track record in stepping down after nearly three years on the job.

Van Overmeiren refused an interview Tuesday and could not be reached Wednesday. However, the county has made her resignation letter public in announcing former Kane County Board Chairman Mike McCoy as her replacement.

Her resignation is part of a housecleaning of the directors who served under former Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano. Pagano took his own life in May 2010 during an investigation into his use of agency funds, including $475,000 in vacation pay he wasn't entitled to.

“It has been an experience I have thoroughly enjoyed and feel I have been a positive force in changing operational policies and moving forward,” Van Overmeiren wrote. “This past year has been extremely challenging. Many questionable decisions, arbitrarily made by the former executive director without the board's knowledge and approval, have been resolved. In order to provide the board with tighter scrutiny and oversight, new ordinances and resolutions have been established and are being followed by our very capable, recently appointed Executive Director, Alex Clifford, and his staff.”

The county board's task force on finding Van Overmeiren's replacement brought her in during its final meeting.

Task force members said she was asked to meet with them to discuss issues McCoy should be aware of as he transitions onto the board. McCoy was not aware Van Overmeiren had agreed to resign until he was informed by the media. He'll take over for Van Overmeiren July 12.

At the July 15 Metra board meeting directors are expected to discuss who their new chairman will be.

Drew Frasz, a member of the task force that selected McCoy, reiterated his belief that Van Overmeiren served with honor on the Metra board.

“The events that led up to this had absolutely nothing to do with Caryl,” Frasz said. “There was just a feeling that a clean slate was appropriate here.”