Ex-alderman tapped to return to airport board

A former member of the Chicago Executive Airport board may return to her spot next week.

The Prospect Heights City Council is expected to vote Monday to approve Darlene Ahlstedt for the spot left vacant after airport board Vice Chairman L. James Wylie resigned last week.

Prospect Heights and Wheeling, which co-own the airport formerly known as Palwaukee, each choose two members of the board. Wylie was appointed by Prospect Heights.

Ahlstedt was a member of the Prospect Heights City Council for 10 years until April, when she decided not to run for another term.

She also was on the Palwaukee Municipal Airport Commission from 2003 to 2005. It was renamed a board in 2005.

"It was a very productive time," Ahlstedt said of the 2003-05 term. "The intergovernmental agreement was re-written; we built the first T-hangars in God knows how many years."

Ahlstedt said many of the changes pilots had been clamoring for were accomplished in that time span.

She lives at the south end of the airport, located in the 5th Ward, where Ahlstedt was an alderman.

"I want the airport to thrive," she said. "I want it to do so without being detrimental to its neighbors."

Ahlstedt agrees with neighbors on the south end that runways shouldn't be extended.

"More planes coming in, especially lighter and quieter ones, that's fine," she said. "I think the airport needs to work up to capacity."

Acting Prospect Heights Mayor Pat Ludvigsen, who chose Ahlstedt as Wylie's replacement, said she has the reputation of keeping up with what's going on in the industry.

"She knows more than just about anybody about that airport," he said. "She had always been my first choice if there was a vacancy because of her experience."

Ludvigsen said Ahlstedt also expressed interest to be back on the airport board if a vacancy opened up.

Ludvigsen and Judy Abruscato, the interim Wheeling village president, also have to choose a replacement for the airport board chairman.

Kevin Dohm, the former chairman, resigned Sept. 13. Wylie soon followed suit.

Both had been embroiled in a conflict over a consultant -- John P. Kennedy of the Airport Corp. of America.

Other members of the board claimed Dohm had hired Kennedy without the proper approval.

Ahlstedt said she's been following some of the conflict and hopes to move past it.

"I have a very strong spirit of cooperation, and I appreciated it when Wheeling and Prospect Heights worked together," Ahltstedt said.

Ludvigsen and Abruscato met Monday to talk about replacing the chairman and are looking for applicants.

Anyone interested should contact airport manager Dennis Rouleau.

"We're looking for someone that has a desire to see the airport grow and someone who will make sure all is in the right direction," Abruscato said.

The airport board will meet again Wednesday; if Ahlstedt is approved by the Prospect Heights city council Monday, the board also will have to choose someone from within the ranks as vice chairman.