Field for new QuadCom director down to 8

The field of candidates in line to head up a regional 911 emergency call center has been trimmed to eight, the chairman of the QuadCom search committee said.

Sleepy Hollow Police Chief James Montalbano, who serves as chairman for the four-member QuadCom personnel committee, said more than 40 applications were submitted.

"It has been a very difficult job to narrow the search down because a lot of the candidates came very highly qualified," Montalbano said. "We have a set of standards that we are going down and following them as closely as we can."

According to the job description, the director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the communications center; annual budget preparation and administration; project planning and management; contract preparation, negotiation, and management; and being interdepartmental liaison with member agencies.

QuadCom dispatches emergency services in Carpentersville, East Dundee, West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow and South Barrington.

The salary range is from $62,287 to $85,500.

Former director Steven Cordes, 44, of Lake in the Hills, was indicted in October on charges he used a criminal background database to obtain information about four people over a two-year period. He was indicted on 18 counts of official misconduct and is due back in court on June 18.

Deputy Director Kevin Howell has served as acting director since August, 2008.

Montalbano said the committee, whose members also include Carpentersville Fire Chief John Schuldt, South Barrington Police Chief Michael Deegan and East Dundee Police Chief Terry Mee, will contact the final eight candidates and conduct interviews in the coming weeks.

Montalbano would not disclose the names of the eight remaining candidates, but said most are from Illinois and Wisconsin.

Former East Dundee Trustee Jim Carlini withdrew his candidacy for village president because he had applied for the position. It is not known if Carlini is among the finalists.