Julie Richardson presiding over the Lakewood Village Board prior to her retirement.
After an Executive Session, Village President Erin Smith appointed former Village President Julie Richardson and Blake Hobson, former Nunda Township Trustee and McHenry County Board member, appointed Ways and Means Vice Chairman of the McHenry County Republican and a member of GOP Chairman Mike Tryon’s Chairman’s Circle.
Richardson, who did not run for re-election and supported Smith’s candidacy to replace her as village president last year, is in sync with Smith’s vision of developing the area around the intersection of Route 47 and Route 176 as a SportsPlex.
Blake Hobson after his appointment to the village board. The St. Baldrick's shavee (the Friday before St. Patrick's Day) and second highest fund raiser for pediatric cancer research has seen his hair grow in nicely.
Hobson also has economic development experience as a member of the Upper Illinois River Valley Development Authority, an appointment made by the McHenry County Board, and as a board member of the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation.
The UIRVD Authority provided $55 million in financing for the Huntley Centegra Healthbridge. Ambulatory Care Center and medical offices. Before moving to the Woods of Turnberry, Hobson served as Nunda Township Republican Central Committee Chairman.
He runs the family business, Image Industries in Huntley.
Hobson has also emceed the Crystal Lake Kiwanis Little Miss Peanut pageant and raised the second highest amount (($1,310) in the club-sponsored St. Baldrick’s Day children’s cancer research fund raiser.
Eleven people applied for the two vacancies that resulted when Trustees Dorothy and John Pfeufer sold their home and resigned as of May 1st:
- Rick Clark of Country Club Additions
- Carlie Dubbeck of Turnberry
- Chris Fox of the Hills of Turnberry
- Bill Horvath of Georgetown
- Alan Kanabay of Turnberry
- Don Miller of Loch Glen
- Gary Sexton of Red Tail
- Steven Stavropoulos of Loch Glen
- Bill Wayne of Turnberry
Smith decided the two replacements should come from the West side of town, as did the two they replaced.
“Geography came into play,” she said.
She said that she was looking for “municipal governmental experience.”
The vote on the appointments was 4-1 with Pfeuffer ally Ken SAntowsk being the dissenting vote.
Next spring four of the seven trustee spots will be up. There will be three 4-year terms and one 1-two year term at stake. Candidates will have to specify which they are seeking on their petitions.
While I appreciate your attendance and willingness to report the truth I would like to make one thing clear. I wanted to appoint members of the community that would bring more “neighborhoods” into the realm of local government. Newly appointed Trustees-elect Richardson and Hobson will fill the vacancy just fine. As you know there were “applicants” from many areas of the village, with some of those areas having never been represented by a trustee or president. While I was frequently an ally of the Pfueffers, I am first and foremost a representative of the residents. I listened to their concerns and voted they way they wanted me to. That is my job and my duty.