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Lawlor, Maine expected to retain Lake County leadership posts

Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor and Forest Preserve District board President Ann B. Maine should retain their posts when the panels hold special elections Monday.

Neither expects a challenge.

Lawlor, a Vernon Hills Republican, is finishing his first term as the county board's leader. He has been a county board member since 2009.

Maine, a Lincolnshire Republican, is finishing her second term as the forest board's president. She first was elected to the panel in 2002.

Both boards are comprised of the same 21 elected officials. The agencies they represent have separate administrators, staffs and budgets, however.

The boards pick leaders every two years. The county board will meet first at 9 a.m. and elect a chairman and vice chairman.

The forest board meets at 9:15 a.m. in the same location to elect a president and vice president.

Both meetings are at the county government center in downtown Waukegan.

Lawlor said he's spoken with nearly every county commissioner and believes he will have the group's support Monday.

"I'm closer to 21 than I am 11," Lawlor said, referring to the minimum number of votes needed to retain the post. "I certainly don't want to be presumptuous, but I am very confident."

Maine said she's spoken to nearly every member and hasn't heard of anyone planning to run against her, either.

"I'm really grateful for everyone's support," she said.

Libertyville Republican Carol Calabresa is the county board's vice chairwoman, and she will run again for that post, Lawlor said.

Likewise, Antioch Republican Linda Pedersen is the forest board's vice president, and she will run again.

A Democrat hasn't been elected to any of those four leadership posts since Angelo Kyle of Waukegan was named the forest board's vice president for a single term in 2006. Kyle has since left the board.

Republicans outnumber Democrats on the boards 14-7.

The GOP delegation gained a member in the November election when Jeff Werfel defeated Democrat Tim Powell in the race for the Grayslake area's District 6 seat. Werfel will replace longtime Democratic commissioner Pat Carey, who didn't seek re-election.

The only other new board member is Mundelein Republican Chuck Bartels, who replaces Diana O'Kelly in District 10.

Both Werfel and Bartels will be seated Monday.

Buffalo Grove Republican David Stolman resigned from the 20th District seat after he was elected county treasurer. By law, a Republican will be appointed to replace him early next year.

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Ann B. Maine
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