Moylan, Kruger and Harkin to take Elgin library posts

Embattled trustee Randy Hopp was ousted while two newcomers were elected and one incumbent re-elected to the Gail Borden Public Library board in Elgin, according to unofficial vote tallies Tuesday night.

Incumbent Susan Moylan was the top vote-getter with 5,595 votes, with all precincts reporting in Kane County and 16 of 18 precincts reporting in Cook County. Moylan, like Hopp, was elected in 2009.

Newcomer Elizabeth Kruger received 5,523 votes, and newcomer Patricia Harkin got 5,110 — both more than twice the 2,075 votes garnered by Hopp, 62, a retired engineer.

Moylan, 71, is a retired college administrator and former Elgin City Council member. Kruger, 49, works as a professor of project management for DeVry University. Harkin, 69, is a retired associate dean and professor of English and communication studies.

All live in Elgin.

During the campaign, Moylan said the library must set up a capital replacement fund to address future needs, but Hopp said he was skeptical of doing so via any kind of financial investment.

Harkin said the library could make even greater use of its pool of volunteers, with an increased focus on fundraising and grant applications.

The library is doing a wonderful job, and there isn’t much need for change, Kruger said before Tuesday’s vote.

All the candidates agreed that the library must continue focusing on technology and e-books and that it does a great job of celebrating culturally significant events like Three Kings’ Day and Black History Month.

Hopp had been banned from the library — except for board meetings — for more than three years after staff complained of harassing behavior.

He also faces felony charges of attacking his elderly parents. He is due in court April 17 for a status hearing.

Hopp said not being able to frequent the library as a patron somewhat affected his job as a board member because it impeded his ability to look at what was happening inside the library.

The library serves 134,000 residents in Elgin, South Elgin and portions of Hoffman Estates, Streamwood and Bartlett, which amounts to the state’s fifth-largest library population after Chicago, Aurora, Rockford and Naperville, according to the library’s website. The main building in Elgin is the third-largest library in Illinois; only Chicago’s and Schaumburg’s are bigger.