Small named La Salle County Board vice chairman, Znaniecki bests Jensen to chair appointments

Republican Gary Small, R-Utica, is new vice chairman of the La Salle County Board and Republican Arratta Znaniecki, R-Ottawa, will chair the committee on appointments.

Small replaces Democrat Jill Bernal of Peru. Znaniecki won her committee post over Board Chairman Don Jensen, R-Deer Park, after an 18-10 floor vote.

“I’m excited about this,” Znaniecki said. “Originally, I just wanted to be on the committee, but my fellow board members elevated me.”

Znaniecki said she didn’t canvass for the job and called the floor vote “a nice surprise.”

That’s one of several new changes to the County Board, which met Monday for a largely ceremonial session – the board dispensed with minutes until next week – in which Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. administered the oath of office to the members.

Nine new members were sworn-in Monday: Republicans Stephen Aubry, Ray Gatza, William J. “Bill” Brown Jr., Beth Findley Smith, Kathy Bright, Tony Tooley, Matt Slager and McEmery, along with Pamela Beckett, a Democrat. Republicans gained a seat on the board, improving their majority to 18-11.

The board also approved the following appointments to outside agencies, meaning a County Board member will be liaison with the following agencies:

• Mike McEmery, R-Marseilles, was appointed to Business Employment Skills Team (BEST)
• Brian Dose, D-Ottawa, was reappointed to the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Board (CASA)
• Lou Anne Carretto, D-Ottawa, was reappointed to the La Salle County Health Department Board
• Beckett, D-Ottawa, was appointed to the La Salle County Mental Health 708 Board
• McEmery and David Torres, D-Oglesby, were reappointed to the TRI County Opportunities Council
• Znaniecki and Doug Stockley, R-Earlville, were appointed to the University of Illinois Extension board

The Board will reconvene again at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at the La Salle County Governmental Complex, 707 E. Etna Road, Ottawa.