Koehler withstands challenge, wins third term as board chairman

Ken Koehler won a third term as McHenry County Board Chairman Monday, but this time it didn't come without a fight.

Koehler, a Republican from Crystal Lake, received 16 of 24 votes to retain his chairman's post, fending off challenges from the heads of two key board committees.

Barbara Wheeler, a fellow Crystal Lake Republican and chairman of the Planning and Development Committee, earned six votes. Marc Munaretto, an Algonquin Republican and chairman of the Finance and Audit Review Committee, won two votes.

Unlike some suburban counties, the McHenry County Board Chairman is a board member chosen by the 24-member board to lead, rather than elected specifically for the leadership spot by the general public.

Koehler, who won his second two-year term by a 23-1 vote in 2006, said Monday's results indicate he has some work to do.

"I definitely have to address some issues that people believe I'm not focusing on enough," he said. "I'm excited about the opportunities to do that for the next two years."

Those issues, Koehler said, include completion of the county's 2030 Land Use Plan, preservation of water resources and efforts to implement conservation friendly design in new developments.

He also plans to create a new committee to address environmental and natural resources issues.

Wheeler said she was driven to challenge Koehler to bring some of those environmental issues to the fore. She does not believe her decision run against him will cause problems between them.

"Competition is a good thing and I think this is something we can grow stronger from," she said. "I have a good relationship with Chairman Koehler and hopefully he will find that I can help him with some of these efforts."

Also Monday, the board elected its longest-serving member, Jim Heisler, to serve as its vice-chairman. Heisler, a Crystal Lake Republican with 16 years on the board, said he was "absolutely humbled" by his selection.

"I just hope I'm looked at as part of the glue that keeps this government together," he said.

The board also appointed a Committee on Committees Monday to assist Koehler in making committee assignments and choosing their chairmen. With resignations and election losses by incumbents, the board has three open committee chair seats.