McHenry County zoning board seats new member

The McHenry County Board has approved the appointment of Charles Eldredge to the county’s zoning board of appeals, more than two months after board members initially denied the local real estate broker a seat on the committee.

In addition, the board on Tuesday approved the appointments of two alternate board members who serve on the board in the absence of regular board members.

The board also approved the appointments of Patricia Kennedy, president of the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water and John Rosene. In March, county board members voted 21-1 against promoting Eldredge to the position because the vacancy was not advertised and no other applicants were sought.

Eldredge, who has served as an alternate member of the zoning board of appeals, will serve the remainder of the term vacated by Robin Perry. The term expires Sept. 1, 2013.

Board members voted separately on the three appointments, which led Donna Kurtz, a Republican from Crystal Lake, to vote against Eldredge’s appointment. Kurtz said Eldredge and Kennedy come from differing backgrounds that balance one another. Eldredge, Kurtz said, comes from a development background, while Kennedy is green-oriented.

“The whole idea of breaking up this package destroys the integrity of what I thought was really sound in the way that this committee was put together,” Kurtz said. “They gave us three diverse backgrounds and gave us a balanced view of this committee. I now see a lack of balance ... “

Board members offered their support of Kennedy after some board members voiced concern about Kennedy’s ability to remain objective.

“I believe her perspective has given us a better plan that we are looking at,” board member Paula Yensen said.