Hoffman Estates park board swears in new commissioner

The Hoffman Estates Park District board has a new commissioner.

Ron Evans, a resident of Hoffman Estates who has served as a community representative for the park district's recreation committee in the past, was sworn in as the board's newest commissioner Tuesday.

Evans is filling the spot vacated by Craig Bernacki, who resigned last month after serving on the board for 13 years. Bernacki said he was leaving the park district to spend more time with his parents, who require his attention and care.

After clarifying they are not related, board President Keith Evans said Ron Evans, who works as a sales manager for a tile distributor, was the only person who applied for the open commissioner position.

“The good news was that we didn't have to look any further,” said Keith Evans. “He was highly considered when we were looking to fill the slot that (board treasurer) Mike Bickham took (earlier this year), and we all appreciated Ron's efforts at that point in time and through the years as a community rep. He's been a great supporter, and we're really glad to have him.”

Ron Evans said he originally decided to become a community representative and then apply to be on the board because he was appreciative of the resources the park district provided his children, now adults, when they were younger.

“Just the memories that we had with them made me want to get involved again,” he said, noting that he coached baseball and basketball when his children played sports at the park district. “I'm also very fond of golf, and (park district officials) were in the middle of doing some enhancements with the golf course and I was very interested in making sure I was a part of that.”

In other business, the board voted to install enclosures around portable toilets on park district property.