11 candidates vie for appointment to Board of Review vacancy

Press Release |

Circuit Court of Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans today announced that he has received applications from 11 persons seeking his consideration for appointment to the vacancy in District Number Two on the Cook County Board of Review.

To ensure an open and transparent appointment process, Chief Judge Evans required anyone interested in the position to complete and file a formal application with his office. The applications of the 11 candidates may be viewed at www.cookcountycourt.org.

Chief Judge Evans said he will interview the candidates on January 19, 2011, and that he expects to announce his decision the week of January 24.

The 11 candidates are as follows:

  • Scott Bagnall, Niles Township assessor, attorney, real estate broker, and certified Illinois assessing officer
  • Aaron R. Bilton, an assistant Cook County state’s attorney, Real Estate Tax Unit
  • Ann Breen-Greco, an attorney, administrative law judge and arbitrator
  • Michael M. Cabonargi, a senior attorney with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
  • Dennis M. Fleming, an attorney, chairman of the Chicago License Appeal Commission, administrative law judge and hearing officer
  • Reanetta Hunt, president and CEO, Hunt Media & Management, LLC
  • Richard E. Martin, a computer system business analyst formerly with General Electric
  • Joseph Mario Moreno, an attorney and former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
  • Eugene C. Schulter, Chicago alderman, 47th Ward
  • Sam Toia, owner and operator of Leona’s Restaurants and Hop Haus Sports Pubs
  • Johnnetta (Jay) Watts, a real estate broker

Under the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chief Judge Evans is required to fill the Board of Review vacancy. State law further requires the person appointed to serve the balance of the term, which ends December 3, 2012. Evans said he is seeking to appoint someone who is committed to perform all of the duties of a commissioner including, but are not limited to, fair and impartial review of assessments of all property to the extent authorized by the Property Tax Code, appropriate and lawful correction of assessments, direction that the Cook County Assessor modify assessments as justice may require, and the performance of all acts necessary under authority of law to procure a full, fair and impartial assessment of all real property located in the county.

The position is one of three commissioners constituting the Board of Review, each of whom represents a different, statutorily defined part of the county.

State law requires that a person seeking appointment reside in District Number 2 for at least two years before the date of appointment, must be from the same political party as the immediate predecessor and must not hold any other lucrative public office or public employment while serving as a commissioner. Property Tax Code, 35 ILCS 200/5-5. 

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