Trustee Scott Andresen says he will step down from the East Dundee Village Board if village President Jeff Lynam and trustees can agree on a replacement.
In April’s election, three seats, including Andresen’s, were up for election but only two candidates ran for the open seats. All three incumbents, including Andresen, did not seek reelection.
Andresen, however, has remained on the board since the election. A written opinion from the village’s attorney backed the move, citing a state statute and local ordinance, which, in part, states that trustees are “elected at a general election for a term of four years and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.”
Because no one was elected to fill the seat and the two other incumbents declined to remain on the board, Andresen has argued he is right in retaining his position.
But after Lynam earlier this month revived efforts to appoint someone to fill Andresen’s seat, Andresen offered the compromise of stepping down if Lynam and trustees could agree on a replacement.
“Unfortunately, despite my belief that I do a pretty good job as trustee, this has become such a raging distraction because of Jeff’s refusal to accept the law,” Andresen said. Lynam’s efforts to replace him without board backing, he said, could lead to a legal battle that pits the majority of the village board against Lynam.
In the weeks after the election, the mayor argued Andresen could not remain on the board because he did not seek reelection. Lynam also said he was “duty-bound” to appoint someone to the seat and offered two possible replacements — Dundee Township Park Board Commissioner Frank Scarpelli and former East Dundee Trustee Jim Carlini — for consideration.
The majority of the board, however, declined to support either of Lynam’s recommendations and have backed Andresen.
The issue appeared to have faded away until the Oct. 18 board meeting, when Lynam again broached the topic and presented his own legal opinion saying he can appoint someone to fill the seat. He told trustees he intended to do so at the Nov. 1 meeting.
When reached by phone Wednesday, Lynam declined to comment on Andresen’s offer.
“I’m not going to discuss anything,” he said. “You’re going to have to wait until everyone else finds out.”
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In an email exchange between Andresen and Lynam, Andresen notes the offer to step down is contingent on the board and Lynam agreeing on an appointee. In his email to Lynam, Andresen further states he would not step down for the appointment of Scarpelli or Carlini.
“These conditions are nonnegotiable,” Andresen wrote in his email to Lynam.
Lynam responded saying he had “no problem” with Andresen’s proposed arrangement but said he would like to appoint Carlini on a temporary basis until a permanent replacement is found. He suggested Carlini would likely only serve for one meeting.
He also proposed a possible candidate to fill Andresen’s seat and suggested the candidate could meet with the board in closed session at Monday’s meeting.
Andresen responded by suggestion Lynam should work with the board on reaching a consensus about a replacement.
“It would be a good idea to get some suggestions for possible appointments from the board so that one or more mutually agreeable candidates can be identified,” Andresen wrote. “That’s how parties ‘work together.'”
Trustees remained hopeful the situation could be resolved without further issues. Trustee Scott Kunze agreed with Andresen’s assessment that the issue has been a distraction for the board.
“Hopefully he’ll have someone that we can talk to and maybe this will go through without a lot of drama,” Kunze said referring to Lynam’s efforts to fill the seat.
Kunze also said he would not support Lynam appointing either Scarpelli or Carlini to the board and expressed gratitude to Andresen for being “the bigger man” and offering a solution.
“I’m grateful that Scott has come forth and is willing to step down for the sake of the village,” he said, noting Andresen did not have to make the offer.
Trustee Sarah Brittin, who was elected to the board in April, echoed similar sentiments, noting that many on the board thought they had moved past the issue and were happy to be focusing on village business rather than debating if Andresen should be replaced.
“We were starting to find a rhythm and get work done,” Brittin said. “But now that it’s cropped back up I’m thankful that (Andresen) is volunteering (to step down) if we can come to consensus and work something out. I would hope that Jeff is willing to work with Scott and the rest of the board to find the right candidate to step in.”
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.