County board awaits answers to residency question

McHenry County’s search for new regional superintendent of schools could wrap up sometime next month, McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler said.

The post has been vacant since June, and the Lake County Regional Office of Education has helped fill the void.

A qualified candidate who meets the job’s extensive requirements has been interviewed and wants to take the job, but Koehler is trying to resolve a possible issue regarding the candidate’s residency and the election code, he said. The candidate lives in McHenry County but within the boundaries of a Lake County school district, he said.

“Here’s a case where he would become regional superintendent for McHenry County schools, but could not vote for himself, only for people (running for) regional superintendent in Lake County,” Koehler explained.

Koehler said he has consulted attorneys from the state board of elections and the state board of education and, preliminarily, has been told there should be no problem in appointing the candidate. He is now waiting for more senior officials to issue an opinion, as well as advice from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s office, he said. “It’s one of those things where I might fly by the seat of my pants,” he said.

The McHenry County post has been vacant since Gene Goeglein retired early and his elected replacement, Jon Williams, retired before taking over in July. The appointment would be subject to approval by the county board.

The McHenry County position pays around $100,000, officials said. The General Assembly reinstated salaries for superintendents in November after they were cut by Gov. Pat Quinn in July.