County will look harder for new ZBA member

The McHenry County Board has denied the appointment of Charles Eldredge to a regular seat on the county’s zoning board of appeals.

County board members last week voted 21-1 against promoting Eldredge, an alternate to the ZBA, because the vacancy was not advertised and no other applicants were sought. Alternates serve on the board in the absence of regular members.

Although the county’s planning and development committee had recommended Eldredge for the position, some county board members voiced concern that regular procedures for filling a vacancy were not followed and that a spot on the ZBA should require an application and interview. The position was vacated in February when Robin Perry resigned.

“We all know perception is reality,” said Donna Kurtz, a Republican from Crystal Lake. “This is a situation where going through the process is going to put us in a good light.”

Tina Hill, chairwoman of the planning and development committee, said alternate members of other committees had been promoted to a full position previously. But Hill did not disapprove of the board’s request to open it up for applicants.

“My protocol was perfectly fine,” Hill said. “They just wanted to do it a bit differently. The board felt that the zoning board is such an important board that it should go out for interviews, which we plan to do.”

The county had advertised the alternate seat in anticipation of Eldredge’s appointment.

Eldredge, a local real estate broker and former chairman of the Regional Planning Commission and member of the McHenry County Economic Development Corp., said he would apply for the full-time seat.

“If I had known it was an unusual procedure, I wouldn’t have accepted it,” Eldredge said. “But I am supportive of the board’s decision. We want to be as open and transparent as we can.”

The county board is now accepting applications for the remainder of Perry’s term, which expires September 1, 2013. Eligible candidates must reside in one of the following townships: Burton, Coral, Dunham, Grafton, Greenwood, Hartland, Hebron, Marengo, Richmond, Riley or Seneca.

Applications are available from the County Board Office, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock, or online at www.co.mchenry.il.us. Completed applications are due by 3 p.m., Friday, April 8.