Patricia Kelly appointed to Bartlett board
Patricia Kelly, a 34-year resident of Bartlett, has been named the village’s newest trustee.
All members of the village board gave their consent Tuesday to appoint Kelly to the position.
Kelly fills the spot left vacant by Michael Airdo when he became interim village president after Michael Kelly resigned in November.
She was one of eight people that the board interviewed for the position.
“This was a very difficult decision,” Airdo said, adding that he appreciated the desire of all the candidates to serve the village under the current political climate.
He said he hopes to keep in contact with those candidates and offer them other ways to serve the community as opportunities arise.
Kelly, who Airdo said has no relation to former village president Michael Kelly, said she is excited for the opportunity.
“I’ve been in this town many years. I love it here,” she said. “I want people to be excited about living in Bartlett.”
Kelly has a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and a juris doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law. She owns a law practice in Inverness that focuses on estate planning and probate matters, corporate, real estate and business transactions and domestic relations procedures.
“I like to think I have something to offer,” she said. “I think being an attorney can be helpful. My kids are grown so I feel like I have a little more time then perhaps somebody with a younger family to help now, to give back to the community.”
Kelly serves as a member of the board of directors for the Bartlett Veterans Memorial Foundation and offers free pro bono legal services to veterans through Hanover Township once a month.
“She really knows Bartlett, she knows the people of Bartlett and she knows the organizations that make Bartlett what it is,” Airdo said.
Kelly is also regular attendee at village board meetings.
“Her being involved in the community for a long time and attending these board meetings will allow her to really hit the ground running,” Airdo said, adding that he is glad Kelly will bring another female perspective to the board.
Kelly also said she felt her attendance at meetings has prepared her for the job.
“I know what’s in this budget, I’m paying attention to what’s here,” she said, adding that she hopes more residents will come to meetings to see what kind of job the mayor and village staff are doing. “I have been at the meetings so I felt like I was able to maybe step in and be up and running pretty quickly.”
Kelly was also named the new chairwoman of the finance and golf committee on Tuesday, a position that Airdo held as a trustee and that trustee Dennis Nolan has taken over since November.