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Redick picked to fill forest preserve vacancy

A former DuPage County Board member who sits on the Illinois tollway board has been nominated to fill a vacancy on the DuPage forest preserve commission.

Forest preserve President Joseph Cantore wants Jeffrey Redick to take his former seat on the commission. The board is expected to vote on Redick's appointment during a specially called commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday morning.

"I'm honored that President Cantore considered me for this position," Redick said Friday. "It would be my pleasure and my honor to work with the board of commissioners."

If his nomination is approved, Redick will once again represent District 2, which includes all or parts of Addison, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Hinsdale, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park, Westmont and Woodridge.

The 45-year-old Republican from Elmhurst previously represented District 2 as a county board member for two terms from 2006 to 2012.

Cantore said Redick's experience with environmental issues as a county board member set him apart from the other candidates who applied for the forest preserve seat.

"His representation of District 2 on the county board was very positive," Cantore said. "I think that he would be a great addition to the forest preserve board."

Redick, who is a partner at the Oak Brook-based law firm of Power & Cronin, Ltd., said it's an exciting time for the forest preserve district, which is going through a restructuring and has new leadership. The six-member commission also got a new member, Al Murphy, during last month's election.

"If given the opportunity to be a part of that, I would do everything in my power to work as hard and diligently on behalf of the people of District 2 and DuPage County as I can," Redick said.

Gov. Pat Quinn appointed Redick to the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board in October 2011. That same month, Redick announced he wasn't going to seek re-election to the county board.

If appointed to the forest preserve commission, Redick has no immediate plans to step down from the tollway board. However, he said, his term on tollway board is slated to end in April.

"This (forest preserve seat) is another opportunity," Redick said.

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