Revolving door at tollway's top post

Once again, the Illinois Tollway is without a leader.

The agency's board will meet Friday to accept the resignation of Acting Executive Director Dawn Catuara and appoint an interim chief. Her departure comes as the agency faces scrutiny over a new construction program tainted by the corruption arrest of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Catuara stepped in after the newly installed executive director Jeff Dailey quit Dec. 17 following a tenure of a few weeks. She had been the tollway's chief of staff.

Dailey was appointed after tollway CEO Brian McPartlin left Oct. 24 to work for an engineering firm that has done millions of dollars in business with the agency. McPartlin later decided not to take the position with McDonough Associates after controversy surfaced over potential conflict of interest.

Catuara, former chief executive officer with the Cook County Circuit Court, filled in for McPartlin also when he departed last fall.

The unexpected responsibilities led to her decision to leave, officials said Wednesday.

"With her reappointment (as executive director) in December, she did some soul searching and decided this was not the right fit," tollway spokeswoman Joelle McGinnis said.

Catuara spent 30 years with the Circuit Court, starting as a clerk and rising to its CEO in 1995. She retired in 2006 but joined the tollway as chief of staff in October 2007. "It's always been clear, she had no interest serving as executive director," McGinnis said.

The tollway is at a crossroads, finishing up its first $6.3 billion Congestion Relief program and moving to a second phase estimated at $1.8 billion. This proposal - which includes carpool or "Green Lanes" plus interchange additions and improvements - was drawn into the scandal involving Blagojevich. The former governor was caught on an FBI wiretap discussing shaking down a concrete contractor for a $500,000 campaign donation in exchange for beefing up the new construction program, authorities said.

Now Gov. Pat Quinn has said he wants to re-evaluate the Green Lanes plan.

Just recently, The Associated Press reported the tollway had received a subpoena for information about contractors tied to Blagojevich.

McGinnis said the turmoil at the top is not affecting the agency's day-to-day work, noting "the tollway has a solid staff in place and solid plan with the Congestion Relief program."

But it's also important to get a permanent leader in place to "map out future goals," McGinnis said. "We'd like to see it filled as quickly as possible."