Juarez fills vacant seat on Mundelein village board
Mundelein resident Daniel Juarez on Monday was tapped to fill a vacancy on the village board.
Juarez succeeds Sol Cabachuela, who resigned last month to take a job with the Lake County clerk's office.
Juarez was nominated for the trustee post by Mayor Steve Lentz.
The village board unanimously approved the appointment Monday night, and Juarez immediately recited his oath of office and took a seat on the dais between Trustees Erich Schwenk and Tim Wilson.
Juarez, 37, is Libertyville's facilities manager. He has served on Mundelein's economic development commission and its planning and zoning commission.
He's never before held or sought elected office.
In a prepared statement shared with the Daily Herald, Juarez said he is excited to represent the community.
"I'm determined that my votes will always be in the best interest of the people," he said. "I plan to be transparent with the public, be a listening ear, and be involved with you, the community."
Lentz described Juarez as a dedicated community volunteer and a "strong advocate for Mundelein."
"He's a level-headed man with good common sense who speaks his mind in a respectful manner," Lentz said in an email.
Cabachuela was elected to a 4-year term in 2021 and would have been up for reelection in spring 2025. Juarez will finish Cabachuela's term and then can run for election.
Cabachuela's resignation didn't affect the ballot for last week's municipal election. In that five-way contest, Schwenk, Trustee Kara Lambert and former board member Robin Meier won the three available seats.
Their 4-year terms will begin after a swearing-in ceremony typically held in early May.