In Kane County, the elected County Board members also serve as the Forest Preserve District Commissioners. While this is a common practice of long standing, there is an inherent conflict of interest in “wearing two hats” when the interests of the County overlap and sometimes conflict with the interests of the Forest Preserve. These two separate and distinct legal entities, supported by different taxes, have different missions. For example, it is the County’s job to promote economic development and to build roads and bridges, while the Forest Preserve District seeks to preserve natural areas, i.e., keep natural areas from being lost to development. While it is not impossible to serve the interests of two boards, it can be difficult at times to make decisions without putting the interests of one over the other. And the financial structure where county board members receive a salary while receiving only $30 per meeting as forest preserve commissioners dictates the relative importance of each.
