New commissioner named to Glen Ellyn Park District board

Attorney Rob Weber has been appointed to the Glen Ellyn Park District board to fill the vacant seat left by Gary Mayo, who is stepping down and moving to Florida.

Weber will be sworn in April 12. His appointment will end with the April 2017 election.

Weber is vice president and general counsel at Mediware, a Kansas-based company that provides software systems for hospitals, blood centers and other health care organizations. He holds a law degree from the University of Wisconsin.

"We have legal counsel, but it is also helpful to have a board member with that kind of background," board President Julia Nephew said.

Ten candidates applied for the seat. Three were set to advance to interviews with the board, but one withdrew because of personal reasons, Nephew said.

Weber, his wife and three children have lived in Glen Ellyn for 12 years. Nephew said Weber is well-versed in the district's amenities and has a "very good grasp" of its goals.

The board also was looking for a successor to Mayo who would be interested in running for the seat next spring, and Weber has indicated he will seek a four-year term, Nephew said.

Mayo announced he was resigning in January. A former owner of two Dairy Queen franchises in Glen Ellyn, Mayo won a second term on the board last April. He was first elected in 2011 after running on a slate that at the time criticized district debt and increased costs to build the Ackerman Sports & Fitness Center.

"Every decision, every public statement, every vote was made with considerable thought, thorough research and extensive consideration," Nephew said of Mayo.

He was recognized last week for his role in creating a business plan to boost revenue at Ackerman, establishing a citizens finance committee for the district and expanding a youth lacrosse program during his five years on the board.

Mayo noted his resignation comes amid a settlement agreement in a long-running legal dispute with Ackerman contractors over its leaky roof and as long-awaited improvements are "finally coming to fruition" at Lake Ellyn and its boathouse.

"If there's such a thing as a good time to leave, I kind of feel like this is a good time to leave because so many things are going well right now, and timing is everything," he said.