Will Schillerstrom be tapped to head tollway?
There's a void at the top of the Illinois tollway board, no vice chairman and 20 days until the next directors' meeting.
And a likely replacement for Chairwoman Paula Wolff could be former DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom.
The agency had prepared for Wolff's departure, which was effective Monday, but state law indicates that "the chairman shall preside at all meetings of the board." The board's next meeting is June 25.
The decision belongs to Gov. Bruce Rauner, who praised Schillerstrom's leadership skills when appointing him as a tollway director May 22.
"His experience as the DuPage County Board chairman will bring a unique perspective to the board," Rauner said in a statement.
"He had a reputation for doing more with less taxpayer money while lowering property taxes."
At an orientation session for new directors Thursday, Schillerstrom said he didn't know whom Rauner would name. But, "I've always told the governor I'll do whatever I can to help," he said.
"I'm interested in transportation and I stand ready to do whatever I can."
Wolff, a former senior executive with the civic group Metropolis Strategies, was appointed to the tollway in 2009 by former Gov. Pat Quinn.
Currently, there's no pressing paperwork requiring action from a chairman, spokeswoman Wendy Abrams said.
The chairman "has signatory authority on some tollway documents, but we expect no immediate impact on operations," she added.
Rauner's election as governor has led to a power shift at the tollway with four new directors, Wolff's exit and the pending departure of Executive Director Kristi Lafleur June 16.