Arlington Heights Park District likely to appoint interim director

Editor's Note: The park board meeting time has been corrected to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The Arlington Heights Park District board is expected to appoint an interim executive director tonight in place of Rick Hanetho, who has been on a leave of absence since late October, officials said.

The temporary appointment is expected to last until Hanetho returns, said Maryfran Leno, the park board president.

Leno on Monday wouldn't say why Hanetho has been gone, when he is expected to return, or whom the five-member board of commissioners is considering to be his temporary replacement.

Hanetho, who joined the park district in June 2016, couldn't be reached for comment.

Three park district administrators - the directors of finance and personnel, parks and planning, and recreation - have been running day-to-day operations while Hanetho has been out of the office.

Leno said they have been working together to keep the $17 million Olympic Indoor Swim Center and park renovation project on track. The goal still is to have it complete at the beginning of 2020.

The board will vote tonight on an employment agreement with an interim executive director.

Leno said the contract would not include an exact end date, but until the time that Hanetho comes back.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the administration center, 410 N. Arlington Heights Road.