Former Cary school board president nominated to fill McHenry County Board vacancy

A former Cary Elementary District 26 school board president has been tapped to fill a vacant seat on the McHenry County Board.

Chris Spoerl, a Cary Republican, has been nominated by Chairman Jack Franks to replace former District 1 board member Andrew Gasser, who resigned in May after being elected Algonquin Township highway commissioner. The county board is expected to vote on Franks' recommendation during a special meeting Thursday.

Spoerl was chosen from six applicants who went through a formal application and interview process, Franks said. He was not among the two candidates recommended last month by the McHenry County Republican Party.

"I have a fiduciary obligation to taxpayers to choose the best person. I'm looking for someone who has the county's best interest at heart," said Franks, a Marengo Democrat. "(Spoerl) is a guy with financial expertise. ... He's a guy who wants to work hard, and he's a guy who's going to work with everyone."

As school board president from 2009 to 2013, Spoerl led District 26 through a financial crisis and helped regain stability by closing a multimillion-dollar budget gap, Franks said. Spoerl is a certified public accountant and a co-owner of Professional Business Management, a Barrington-based financial consulting company.

"I needed someone who could do a deep dive into the (county's) finances," Franks said. "He brings a skill set we desperately need. We're lucky to have him."

Spoerl also serves as assistant secretary on the Cary Police Pension Fund board and, like Gasser, is a U.S. Army veteran.

Those vying for the position had to submit a resume and cover letter, fill out a questionnaire and file a statement of economic interest before being interviewed by Franks and County Administrator Peter Austin. Franks said he consulted with former McHenry County Board chairmen Mike Tryon and Ken Koehler before making his decision.

During the application process, Spoerl indicated he wanted to reduce the size of the county board and cut the county's property tax levy - objectives also endorsed by Franks and several other county board members, the chairman said.

"He's not afraid to make the hard decisions and work collaboratively," Franks said. "That's what we need."