Mark Mogan resigns from Hebron Village Board, citing health

Citing health concerns, Hebron Village Trustee Mark Mogan on Tuesday resigned his position on the Village Board, according to an email from Village President Robert Shelton.

Shelton sent an email to the remaining five trustees, informing them of the departure and adding that he would “be pursuing a replacement” for Morgan.

“If the right individual makes an appearance, or comes about, I would immediately consider bringing them in and filling the spot,” Shelton told the Northwest Herald.

If he found a candidate “that would be best for the village and for the overall health of the town, no question” he would make the nomination, Shelton said.

Two of the current trustees Shelton has appointed to the board said it may be inappropriate for Shelton to do so.

The one-term village president is facing two opponents in the upcoming April 1 elections: former Village President Frank Beatty and newcomer Steven Morris.

“In my humble opinion, it is not appropriate, if [Shelton] is not reelected and is not the village president” to name Mogan’s replacement, Trustee Josh Stevens said. Shelton “should hold off. I am OK with sitting on a board with five members instead of six.”

Trustee Dawn Mikarski agreed that Shelton should wait until the April 1 election results are in.

“I would like to give that to the next [village president] even if it is Robert,” she said.

Milarski’s seat is one of three up for election, but the race is uncontested. Current Trustee Jonathan Mindham is also up, and newcomer Edward Gentry rounds out the three open seats. Mogan’s seat is not up this election cycle.

Trustee Mark Shepherd, however, said Shelton has every right to name Mogan’s replacement.

“That is his job to replace trustees when the resign or leave,” Shepherd said, regardless of the timing. “They would have to stay on for two years and go to the next election.”

Shepherd, the longest-serving Hebron trustee, is the only one not originally appointed by Shelton. If Shelton does name Mogan’s replacement, it would be the seventh time Shelton has placed a trustee on the dais in four years.

Mogan was appointed to his seat – one he had held for more than 10 years previously – by Shelton in May 2021 as that seat was unfilled following the 2021 elections. Mogan had left the board in 2017 following his loss to Kimmy Martinez for the the village president role.

Shelton then appointed Stevens following the resignation of another trustee.

Then, in September 2022, trustees Patricia Peterson, James Lange and Sandra Drevalas resigned, citing either Shelton’s leadership or his cuts to the police department.

They were replaced by Shirlee Correll, Candace Knaack and Milarski.

Knaack resigned in August after questions were raised by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office about a possible 30-year-old felony conviction. She was replaced by Mindham.

Mindham will be asked to pick up some of Mogan’s duties, according to Shelton’s email to trustees.

As a former police officer, Mogan was the board’s police liaison. Mindham “has shown interest in the PD with his calls and discussions with Chief (Peter) Goldman,” Shelton wrote.

A former Lake in the Hills officer, Mogan was accused of driving under the influence in a 2016 incident in Wisconsin that killed 29-year-old Samantha Norris of Lake Geneva, but Mogan was cleared of the charges. Mogan was retired as an officer in August 2017. Mogan could not be reached for comment.