Former Mundelein trustee candidate appointed to planning, zoning commission
A former candidate for the Mundelein village board has been appointed to the town's planning and zoning commission.
Alexander Kvasnicka, who ran for a trustee post this past April but lost, will review development projects as part of the group. It's a volunteer position.
Kvasnicka was nominated for the post by Mayor Steve Lentz, and the move was approved by the village board Monday night.
His term expires in 2017.
Kvasnicka's appointment was not without controversy.
Trustee Terri Voss questioned Kvasnicka's qualifications and accused Lentz of playing politics with the assignment.
Kvasnicka is an engineer with a degree in mechanical engineering. He also has volunteered with several community projects.
As for the April election, Kvasnicka ran as an independent and was one of seven candidates for three trustee seats. He finished second-to-last.
Lentz denied the allegation of political favoritism, saying candidates were reviewed by staffers.
A few other trustees jumped to Kvasnicka's defense after Voss made her comments. Among them was Ed Sullivan, a former planning commissioner who said his professional background as a veterinarian didn't hamper his ability to serve on the panel.
The board approved Kvasnicka's nomination with a 5-1 vote. Voss was the lone holdout.
Kvasnicka was present for the vote and promptly took the oath of office.