McHenry Co. Board OKs plan to expand health board by three

In a move designed at least partially to bring a former member back into the fold, the McHenry County Board voted Tuesday to expand the size of its health board from nine to 12 members.

The expansion clears the way for the re-apppointment of Linda Brogan to the health board. Brogan, a registered nurse, previously served on the board, but stepped down when she was planning to move from the county.

Now back in McHenry County, Brogan made it known she would be interested in again serving on the health board and county officials decided to take her up on her offer.

Because health board members are not compensated, the addition of three members will have minimal, if any, impact on the county's bottom line.

County Board members approved the expansion by a 22-1 vote. Board member Randy Donley cast the only "no" vote, saying the measure is an unnecessary expansion of government.

"We don't have to grow it just because they have some good applicants," he said. "I just don't see the need for it."

The health board initially consisted of eight members when created in 1966. It added a member in 2002 after state lawmakers passed legislation allowing health boards to expand. The measure was created specifically to break a near constant deadlock on McHenry County's health board over whether the health department should provide birth-control services to minors.

The same legislation allows counties of more than 200,000 residents to seat as many as 12 members on its health board.

Under the proposal, the new members would serve terms of 3, 2 and 1 year, respectively. Brogan received the 3-year term Tuesday. The other new members have not been selected, and likely will not be until next year, County Board member Mary Donner said.

Supporters said the additional members will ease the growing workload of existing board members and bring new voices and ideas to the panel.

"Because we had so many good candidates we felt it was important to allow this growth," said Lyn Orphal, chairman of the board's Public Health and Human Services Committee.

"You want to have as many diverse views as you can, so why not allow this expansion," Donner added.