07-08-2009, 07:00 PM
Three Lake County Board picks unveiled
By Bob Susnjara | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 7/8/2009 4:56 PM
Two Republicans and a Democrat have been selected to fill three Lake County Board seats that were vacated by members who recently resigned to take other government jobs.
Republican Lake County Board Chairman Suzi Schmidt announced her decision Wednesday. The full board will approve or reject her choices at a meeting slated for 7 p.m. July 14 at the Lake County government building on County Street in Waukegan.
Two of Schmidt's picks are in their 20s. Following are the three potential county board members:
â¢Republican Aaron Lawler of Vernon Hills, a staffer for U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk and Cook Memorial Public Library's board president. Cook Memorial serves Libertyville and Vernon Hills.
Lawler, 26, would take the District 18 seat that had been held by veteran county board member Pamela Newton, who departed to become Hawthorn Woods' chief operating officer in June.
Lawler would represent District 18, which includes Long Grove, Hawthorn Woods and Vernon Hills. There were three others interest in the post, Schmidt said.
If he gets the formal nod for the county board post, Lawler said his experience on the Cook Memorial board would be valuable. He said he's been library board president for the past four years and helped guide unprecedented building projects that didn't require tax hikes.
"I bring an approach as a problem-solver and the ability to think out of the box to get things done," said Lawler.
Lawler said he would shift from his job in Kirk's government office to a private campaign worker for the GOP congressman if he becomes a county board member. He said he doesn't want to be on two taxpayer-funded payrolls.
â¢Republican Craig Taylor, 64, of Lake Zurich, who served eight years as a village trustee. He'd replace Michael Talbett of Lake Zurich, who last month was appointed as Kildeer's village administrator by his sister-in-law, Mayor Nandia Black.
Taylor would represent county board District 19, which includes Lake Zurich and Kildeer. He said his experience as a 40-year management employee at United Airlines, work with the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce and eight years on the Lake Zurich village board would benefit him as a countywide official.
Schmidt said Taylor bested four candidates. She said his regional approach to issues impressed her.
â¢Democrat Collin O'Rourke, 23, of Waukegan would fill Robert Sabonjian's county board seat. Sabonjian departed the board after winning election as Waukegan's mayor in April.
Schmidt said O'Rourke stood above nine other contenders for a variety of reasons, including the fact he was ranked number one in an undergraduate class of 3,439 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. O'Rourke earned a master's degree in public affairs.
"I thought, 'We're going to learn from hin,' " Schmidt said.
O'Rourke would represent District 8 in Waukegan.
Schmidt is responsible for recommending candidates for vacancies on the 23-member panel, which doubles as the county's forest preserve district board. Schmidt said the three seats she hopes to fill will be up for election in 2010.
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By Bob Susnjara | Daily Herald Staff
Published: 7/8/2009 4:56 PM
Two Republicans and a Democrat have been selected to fill three Lake County Board seats that were vacated by members who recently resigned to take other government jobs.
Republican Lake County Board Chairman Suzi Schmidt announced her decision Wednesday. The full board will approve or reject her choices at a meeting slated for 7 p.m. July 14 at the Lake County government building on County Street in Waukegan.
Two of Schmidt's picks are in their 20s. Following are the three potential county board members:
â¢Republican Aaron Lawler of Vernon Hills, a staffer for U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk and Cook Memorial Public Library's board president. Cook Memorial serves Libertyville and Vernon Hills.
Lawler, 26, would take the District 18 seat that had been held by veteran county board member Pamela Newton, who departed to become Hawthorn Woods' chief operating officer in June.
Lawler would represent District 18, which includes Long Grove, Hawthorn Woods and Vernon Hills. There were three others interest in the post, Schmidt said.
If he gets the formal nod for the county board post, Lawler said his experience on the Cook Memorial board would be valuable. He said he's been library board president for the past four years and helped guide unprecedented building projects that didn't require tax hikes.
"I bring an approach as a problem-solver and the ability to think out of the box to get things done," said Lawler.
Lawler said he would shift from his job in Kirk's government office to a private campaign worker for the GOP congressman if he becomes a county board member. He said he doesn't want to be on two taxpayer-funded payrolls.
â¢Republican Craig Taylor, 64, of Lake Zurich, who served eight years as a village trustee. He'd replace Michael Talbett of Lake Zurich, who last month was appointed as Kildeer's village administrator by his sister-in-law, Mayor Nandia Black.
Taylor would represent county board District 19, which includes Lake Zurich and Kildeer. He said his experience as a 40-year management employee at United Airlines, work with the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce and eight years on the Lake Zurich village board would benefit him as a countywide official.
Schmidt said Taylor bested four candidates. She said his regional approach to issues impressed her.
â¢Democrat Collin O'Rourke, 23, of Waukegan would fill Robert Sabonjian's county board seat. Sabonjian departed the board after winning election as Waukegan's mayor in April.
Schmidt said O'Rourke stood above nine other contenders for a variety of reasons, including the fact he was ranked number one in an undergraduate class of 3,439 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. O'Rourke earned a master's degree in public affairs.
"I thought, 'We're going to learn from hin,' " Schmidt said.
O'Rourke would represent District 8 in Waukegan.
Schmidt is responsible for recommending candidates for vacancies on the 23-member panel, which doubles as the county's forest preserve district board. Schmidt said the three seats she hopes to fill will be up for election in 2010.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=305639">http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=305639</a><!-- m -->