Hanover Park's Craig to replace Mulder on Metra board

Cook County commissioners picked Hanover Park Village President Rodney Craig to fill a vacant spot on the Metra board Wednesday.

Craig will attend his first Metra meeting in August, replacing former Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder.

The decision was made by the three commissioners who represent the district Mulder served: Tim Schneider, Liz Gorman and Gregg Goslin.

Craig served in the U.S. Navy and is a retired Federal Aviation Administration manager. He has been Hanover Park's village president since 2007 and is a past president of the DuPage Council of Mayors and Managers.

Deciding factors were Craig's "background with the FAA and leadership position in the municipal conference," Schneider said.

"We've had the opportunity to watch his work as mayor of Hanover Park and see he's a hand's-on mayor and is very involved in building that community. We all know when he tackles a project he's into it 100 percent. He's a true public servant and has worked very hard on behalf of Metra riders."

His appointment leaves the Metra board with eight new faces after a tumultuous 2013 that resulted in a gradual exodus of directors. The agency was hit by scandal in summer 2013 when CEO Alex Clifford left after charging that two former chairmen tried to push him out for not condoning political patronage pressure from lawmakers such as Speaker Michael Madigan.

Metra also faces a shortage of funds for capital improvements and is in the process of redefining its police force.