A press release from the 708 Mental Health Board:
Mental Health Board postpones selection of executive director
Current McHenry County Mental Health Board (MCMHB) President Lee Ellis deferred the final selection process for choosing an executive director to allow soon to be appointed Board members to familiarize themselves with the mission and operations of the MCMHB and to provide their input on the final choice.
Lee Ellis
“I personally believe that it is essential for the partially newly constituted Board to be familiar with the operations of the MCMHB before proceeding with the interview process,” Ellis said.
Ellis, who is also chairman of the MCMHB Search Committee, believes it is essential for new Board members to understand their obligations and roles to intelligently develop their independent expectations regarding choice of an executive director.
For this reason, Ellis cancelled plans for the final interviews for choosing an executive director scheduled for March 5, 2013. Instead, he is calling a Search Committee meeting immediately following the regularly scheduled meeting of the Mental Health Board at 6 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2013 to discuss reevaluation of the timeline for final interviews.
The MCMHB appointed Todd Schroll as interim executive director until a national search for a replacement for former Executive Director Sandy Lewis is completed. Lewis left her position in November to take the position of assistant professor of psychiatry and the director of the Virginia Treatment Center for Children.
The Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) Committee of the McHenry County Board recently interviewed and recommended candidates for four open seats on the MCMHB. County Board Chair Tina Hill delayed the vote to approve the recommendations due to a glitch involving compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
As a result, it is anticipated that the PHHS committee will meet again on Feb. 27, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. to make its recommendations to the McHenry County Board, which will meet on March 5, 2013 at 9 a.m. At this time it is further anticipated that the McHenry County Board will complete its appointments to the four open seats on the MCMHB.