McCoy 'Had Enough,' Resigns From Metra Board

Former Kane County Board Chairman Mike McCoy has resigned as the county's representative on the Metra Board, saying essentially that the politics and spin of the public transportation company is no way to run a railroad.

McCoy submitted his letter of resignation to Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen on Friday, according to an article in the Kane County Chronicle. McCoy had been a member of the board since 2011.

In his letter, McCoy said he was turned off by the controversy surrounding the resignation Metra CEO Alex Clifford, who receive a $718,000 separation agreement when he stepped down under fire. Clifford maintained that he was ousted because he wouldn't make hiring decisions suggested by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

McCoy said his his letter of resignation and in conversation with the Daily Herald's Marni Pyke that he was tired of the politics. He said the board's focus seemed to be on litigation rather than running the railroad—"and that doesn't interest me," 

He also explained why he voted for Clifford's $718,000 "golden parachute." In a nutshell, McCoy said he felt the cost of litigation would be far more than the cost of settlement.

Lauzen told the Chronicle he would begin the search for McCoy's replacement immediately but that the position.

McCoy was chosen for the post by an executive committee in July 2011. He replaced former County Board member Caryl Van Overmeiren.

Forty-one applicants applied for the post back in 2011, including:

• Blazek, Frank—Batavia

• Gorman, Daniel—Aurora

• Hayes Lachman, Patricia—Batavia

• Joyce, Lee D.—St. Charles

• Nelson, Christopher—West Dundee

• Sarto, William—Carpentersville

• Silagi, Phil—Aurora

• Bappert, Elizabeth—South Elgin

• Deering, Jerry— Elgin

• Fakroddin, Nabi—St. Charles

• Ferguson, Mark—Geneva

• Galvan, Joseph—Elgin

• Glenn, John—St. Charles

• Hill, Sam—Geneva

• Kerber, Amy—Elgin

• Ketterman, Travis—Geneva

• Luetkehans,  Steven—North Aurora

• Malek, Edward—St. Charles

• Oberweis, Jim—Sugar Grove

• Pawlak, Ray—Geneva

• Anderson, Mark—St. Charles

• Bus, Phillip—Batavia

• Charles, Brian —St. Charles

• Duggan, John—Aurora

• Felvey, Patricia—Batavia

• Greviskes, Paul—Aurora

• Harper, Dennis—Sugar Grove

• Kaindl, Arthur—Geneva

• Klinkhamer, Sue—St. Charles

• LaSalle, Peter—St. Charles

• Lenski, William—St. Charles

• McCoy, Michael—Aurora

• McQuillan, Robert—Geneva

• Schelich, Anthony—Geneva

• Studebaker, Chris—North Aurora

• Swalec, John—Sugar Grove

• Swick, Kenneth—St. Charles

• Thomas, Bernard—Pingree Grove

• Vercillo, Laura—Batavia

• Walter, Jeffrey—Elburn

• Willey, James—Elburn

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