Applications from Kane County residents interested in the Kane County appointment to the region’s Commuter Rail Service Board, or, Metra Board of Directors, will be accepted at the Kane County Board Office through March 19. A formal vetting process by a special interview panel is scheduled to begin the week of March 22 and a recommendation presented to the full County Board on April 13.
Under statutory changes made by the Illinois General Assembly in 1983, the Metra Board was charged with a broad range of responsibilities related to fare and service levels, budgeting, capital programming, long-range planning, and strategic service expansion.
Kane County Board chairman, Corinne M. Pierog, is empowered by State statute to make the Kane County appointment with the advice and consent of the County Board and will convene an interview panel that will include members from the County Board and County staff members to vet and recommend a candidate.
Applicants must be Kane County residents to qualify for consideration. According to Illinois State law, Metra board members may not be an officer, a member of the Board of Directors or Trustees or an employee of any transit Service Board (Metra, Pace or CTA) or transportation agency, or be an employee of the State of Illinois, or of any unit of local government or receive any compensation from any elected or appointed office. A transportation agency is defined as any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, body politic, municipal corporation, public authority, unit of local government, or other person, which provides public transportation. The Metra Board position pays $15,000 annually prorated, and does not include health or pension benefits.
Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to the County Board Office outlining their qualifications and explaining their interest in the position. The interview panel will take into account experience that is relative or applicable to a public transit board, availability to serve, and a convincing demonstration of why candidates consider themselves qualified. The County Board will make public a list of all applicants as well as finalists.
Applications can be submitted in person, by mail, or sent electronically to: Kane County Government Center, 719 Batavia Avenue, Building A., County Board Office, 3rd Floor, Geneva, Illinois 60134. E-mail Address: CPierog@kanecoboard.org.
— Kane County Board Office