Rolling Meadows mayor nominates for council seat

Rolling Meadows Mayor Tom Rooney said Friday he has nominated Jim Allen to fill the vacant 2nd Ward seat on the city council.

Allen is Rooney’s second attempt at filling the seat left vacant by Alderman Barb Lusk’s resignation April 15.

His first choice, Vince Farina, withdrew his name after Palatine Township officials objected to his taking on a second government post. Farina is a Palatine Township trustee and township officials said they feared a potential conflict of interest.

In a news release Friday, Rooney said he carefully considered all six candidates who put their names into the hat — Allen, Farina, Sue Allgire, Dawn Brynelsen, Len Prejna, and Steve Rybarczyk.

“While each and every one of the applicants has qualities that would make him/her a welcome addition, I believe that Jim’s approach to the job would best fit the current needs of the Council and the city as a whole,” Rooney wrote. He will ask the full council to approve the appointment June 14. If approved, Allen will serve until the next available local election, in April 2013.

A lawyer, Allen started out his career as a mechanical engineer. After 15 years in business, he pursued law, graduating from John Marshall in 2007 and being admitted to the Illinois State Bar the same year. He has since achieved a Master of Laws degree in the area of intellectual property.

Allen and his wife, Sandy, an assistant principal scientist at Kraft Foods, have lived in Rolling Meadows five years and have an almost 2-year-old daughter, Emma.

Allen is pursuing a job in the legal field, and is taking care of Emma full-time in the meantime.

“I have full confidence in Jim’s ability to be a good alderman,” Rooney wrote.

“His soft-spoken approach and evenhanded view of decision-making will make him a valuable member of the Council.”