Bank executive appointed to Libertyville village board

The newest member of the Libertyville village board is a lifelong resident with extensive community involvement.

Bank executive Scott Adams was chosen by Mayor Terry Weppler to complete the term of Jim Moran, who resigned because he moved just outside the village limit.

"For those of you who don't know Scott, you haven't been around long," Weppler said during a brief swearing-in ceremony Tuesday before the village board meeting.

Adams, 66, has a lengthy civic resume that includes founding the popular downtown farmers market 34 years ago and involvement with a village committee that led to the creation of the MainStreet Libertyville downtown redevelopment group 25 years ago. He served on the board of that group for eight years, including four as chairman.

He previously served eight years on the Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board and has been on the village's plan commission/zoning board of appeals the past six years. Adams resigned that post and was replaced by Amy Flores, who was appointed Tuesday by Weppler.

Adams was among the core leaders the past seven years of Brainerd Community Center Inc., which unsuccessfully tried to raise funds to convert the former Libertyville High School building into a community center.

"I have always been involved in the downtown and look for ways to make it better," Adams told the Daily Herald. "One thing that I found that rings true from my years on the (District) 128 board is people move to Libertyville for three reasons: schools, the neighborhood feeling, and a true downtown."

Earlier Tuesday, Weppler said at least four people expressed interest in the vacancy, which runs until May 2015. He said Adams was chosen for his extensive knowledge.

"We've got so many things coming up right now," Weppler said. "He (Adams) knows what's going on with all those issues and he's up to speed." Anyone coming into the post cold would need six months to adjust, Weppler added.

Adams was the lone dissenter Tuesday in a 5-1 village board vote to approve changes in rules regarding downtown parking requirements. He said he disagreed with one suggestion that allows for changes in land intensity without a requirement to provide parking, as restaurants that have opened or are planned are straining the parking situation.

"We are seeing a significant deficit in good, usable parking," he said.

Adams said he intends to run for the seat in the consolidated election in April.