Reilly a Naperville park board finalist
Mike Reilly, a director of the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation, is a finalist for the open seat on the Naperville Park District board.
Reilly, 60, received word of his status by mail Wednesday afternoon.
He is one of three finalists chosen by the park board from 10 candidates for the position vacated last month by Charlie Brown. The other two finalists are not yet public and park officials have remained mum about their identities.
An employee of MetLife insurance company with a business background, Reilly has not run for park board in the past but has been a liaison between the homeowners group and the park district and developed an interest in it.
"The park district is one of the entities that makes Naperville what it is," he said. "It's a great community, one of the top places to live."
He said he would like to maintain open space and offer traditional and nontraditional recreation programs for all ages.
In terms of specific proposals, he would research the issues further in order to form the best opinion but he did say he believes the process that took place when the district was discussing an indoor recreation center in past years was flawed and a great deal of public input is needed.
In addition to his work with the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation, Reilly is president of the White Eagle Homeowners Association. He is the father of two and grandfather of four.
For Reilly, applying for the park board was an "opportunity to take the experience I had gained by being involved in different associations and specifically the homeowners association and try to apply it on a broader level," he said. "The park district has faced a lot of challenges over the past couple years and hopefully someone with a background like mine that is business-based (could help)."
The three finalists will be interviewed publicly at 6 p.m. Aug. 14 at the municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St. The board may vote on its new commissioner that night as well. He or she would then serve until the April election.