April 26, 2024
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Applications open for McHenry County Board vacancy left by state Rep. Suzanne Ness

Seat needs to be filled by Democrat who lives in County Board’s District 2

By Northwest Herald
Suzanne Ness, right, then a McHenry County Board member, speaks during a public health and community services committee meeting Sept. 26, 2019, at the McHenry County Administrative Building in Woodstock.

Suzanne Ness (right) talks with Valley Hi administrator Tom Annarella during a Sept. 26, 2019, presentation to the public health and community services committee at the McHenry County Administrative Building in Woodstock. (Matthew Apgar)

McHenry County Board Chairman Mike Buehler is seeking applications to fill the vacancy left by former board member Suzanne Ness, who resigned Jan. 8 to take a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives.

Buehler has 60 days to fill the seat from when the County Board officially declared the vacancy on Tuesday.

The McHenry County Democratic Party has recommended Crystal Lake attorney Thomas Pavelko, but Buehler is not required to follow that recommendation.

Buehler has said when it comes to candidate recommendations from the two parties, they “would carry a great deal of weight” but he “wouldn’t just default to that.”

Each seat must be filled by a candidate of the same party as the outgoing official and candidates must reside within the same district, according to state statute.

District 2 includes all or parts of Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Cary, Lake in the Hills and Lakewood, stretching from Algonquin Road in the south to Crystal Lake Avenue in the north and from just west of Huntley Road to passed Route 31 in the east.

Interested applicants can submit a resume and/or short bio to MJBuehler@mchenrycountyil.gov as soon as possible.

Buehler intends to submit a nominee for County Board approval within the 60-day requirement, according to a news release.

This map shows the McHenry County Board's District 2, which includes parts of Algonquin, Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills and Lakewood. (McHenry County)