D-181 Board Appoints New Member

HINSDALE, IL — The District 181 school board appointed a new member this week to replace the one who abruptly left in February after expressing frustration with the district's property tax levy. The board appointed Bill Cotter, a lawyer who serves an an executive with a construction project management company in Chicago.

At the board's virtual meeting Monday, Cotter was selected for the seat left vacant by William Merchantz. The district serves elementary and middle school students in Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills.

In a news release, Meeta Patel, the board's vice president, said the board had a "strong group" of candidates for the position. She said Cotter would provide a "unique perspective" with his legal and construction expertise.

Cotter has lived in Hinsdale for about seven years and has a kindgartener at The Lane School. He is the vice president and general counsel for Cotter Consulting Inc., which provides construction program and project management services in Chicago, Milwaukee and Dallas. He leads the company's human resources function, has experience analyzing financial statements and can use data to manage costs, the news release said.

“I believe this knowledge is fundamental to serving as a steward of taxpayer funds as a D181 Board Member,” Cotter said in a statement.

In Illinois, school board members are unpaid.

On Feb. 11, Merchantz, who was the board's president, suddenly resigned after less than two years without giving a reason and declining interviews with the media. In emails to school officials, he questioned the district's property tax levy, suggesting it was too high. He took particular aim at Mohsin Dada, the district's financial officer.

"Dada overcomplicates the story to achieve his goal: maximize the property tax levy," Merchantz said in an email, which was obtained through a Patch public records request. "Is it not too late to ask how much property tax is enough?"