Carpentersville board will have to fill third vacancy in six months

Carpentersville Trustee Don Burroway has stepped down from his post, leaving Village President John Skillman to fill his third board vacancy in six months.

Burroway, who has served on the village board for seven years, is retiring and moving to Texas within the month to be with his family, he said. He served on several committees during his tenure, including the Quadcom board, the audit and finance commission and the Jelkes Creek Fox River Watershed Coalition.

"It's important that we get this kind of business done," said Burroway, whose last board meeting was March 20. "It's been quite a learning experience, and I've enjoyed every minute of it."

Burroway also helped launch the Carpentersville Community Coalition Cares, a group created in 2016 with a goal of reducing and preventing substance abuse in the area. He said he hopes to start or be involved in a similar advocacy group in the Houston area.

"It's something I had wanted to do since I got here, and when I saw the opportunity to bring it all together, I jumped at it," he said. "It's worked out. ... I'm glad you hear people talking about it."

Skillman said Burroway's replacement will be chosen by early May, though he expects to make a decision sooner. The appointment has to be approved by the village board.

The village board has seen significant turnover in the last year, starting when Skillman, a retired Carpentersville fire chief, beat out incumbent Ed Ritter for village president. Voters also elected newcomer Diane Lawrence to a trustee seat.

Skillman appointed John O'Sullivan to the board after longtime resident and Trustee Pat Schultz died unexpectedly in October. Weeks later, Jeff Frost was chosen to take over the seat of former Trustee Jeff Sabbe, who moved out of state.