Former Kane County Board member gets Metra board appointment
The person representing Kane County's interests on the Metra board will be an actual locomotive engineer.
County board members unanimously appointed former county board member Matt Hanson to the Metra board Tuesday.
Hanson served on the county board until his term ended in December after his narrow loss to fellow Democrat Ron Ford. Ford questioned whether Hanson's current job represents a conflict of interest on the Metra board.
Hanson is a locomotive engineer for the BNSF Railway. The Metra board appointment comes with a $15,000 salary. Hanson said his service on the county board already showed he can segment his personal and professional lives.
"Metra does provide passenger service. But much like all of us when we leave our homes, we put on a different hat," Hanson said. "When you walk into this boardroom, you can wear a different hat and have different responsibilities, whether they be on an advisory board, charitable organization or a second job. The experience I'll bring from a functional railroad position will aid me in efficiently leading and representing the people of Kane County and this board.
Hanson's appointment comes at the recommendation of county board Chair Corinne Pierog, who is a fellow Democrat. But it was also guided by Drew Frasz, a Republican who leads the county board's transportation committee.
"He knows the commuter system, literally, from the inside out," Frasz said. "And he knows how the county board operates."
Other board members questioned how widely the position was advertised and how deep the pool of candidates was to choose from. In recent years, and under the preceding two county board chairmen, Metra appointments have followed a public call for resumes and even the formation of an ad hoc committee to vet applicants.
Frasz said that didn't happen this time because Hanson came forward early in the process as an ideal candidate. Pierog said she doesn't see the appointment to the Metra board as having a political nature.
"I look for individuals to appoint who have experience and knowledge in that field, which I truly believe (Hanson) brings to us," she said. "It is a rare match to be found."
Hanson pledged to push for a "continued, reliable, affordable, sustainable public transit agency." He pointed to billions of dollars yet to be allocated by the RTA. He said he will push for some of those funds to come to Aurora and Elgin.
"Infrastructure can be viewed as a weapon of mass competitiveness," Hanson said. "I believe in that. These are critical moments. We have to restore the (Metra) service. We have to revive it. Then we've got to look for ways to grow."