Commissioner Dave Mills selected as board chair for 2021

Commissioner Dave Mills will be the board chair of the Cook County Commissioners for 2021.

The decision to appoint Mills as the board chair came during the organizational meeting of the commissioners Jan. 5. The commissioners nominate and ultimately vote amongst themselves annually for who will serve as chair and vice chair.

Serving as vice chair for 2021 is new Commissioner Ann Sullivan.

Former Commissioner Myron Bursheim served as the board chair for 2020. He was defeated in the November election by new Commissioner Stacey Hawkins.

Hawkins also expressed interest in serving as vice chair for 2021, though ultimately she supported the decision to have Sullivan serve in the role. Both Sullivan and Hawkins took the oath of office to serve on the Cook County Board of Commissioners at the start of Tuesday’s meeting.

There are currently four commissioners serving on the county board at this time. The seat for District 1 is currently unoccupied until a special election Feb. 9. Candidates Paula Marie Powell and Robert Svaleson advanced through the primary election in November to fill the seat vacated when former Commissioner Bobby Deschampe resigned from the county board after being elected the tribal chair for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Joe Friedrichs January 5, 2021