Elizabeth Kos was appointed as the new trustee for Riverside at last week’s village board meeting.
“It’s an honor to serve your town in this way, and I’m just hoping that I can do some good and get up to speed quickly and help out,” Kos said.
The trustee vacancy was created after former Village President Joseph Ballerine resigned Sept. 21 because he purchased a home out of state and moved out of Riverside.
That same evening, the Village Board nominated and approved Village Trustee Doug Pollock to serve as acting village president. After being sworn in, Pollock resigned from his position as trustee.
According to the municipal code, the village president makes appointments with the advice and consent of the board of trustees.
Pollock recommended Kos to fill the vacancy. She had been a member of the parks and recreation board since 2013 and its chairperson since 2018.
Kos was born in Riverside and moved back after living in Chicago for about seven years to raise her two children here with her husband, Craig. Besides her community involvement, she works as a director of lifelong formation for St. Paul VI Parish.
In her job, Kos has constant contact with the Riverside community and helps them develop their path to faith.
Pollock said that Kos’ background was the reason for choosing her as a new trustee.
“She’s very professional, she’s respectful of other people and thoughtful, She has a pleasant temperament, which fits well with a group like the village board, and she has all the qualities to be a good trustee,” Pollock said.
Pollock also highlighted that Kos was not hesitant to participate in her first meeting Nov. 2, unlike many newly appointed trustees in the past.
Kos said although she does not have any specific plans stepping into the role, her main goal is to make all members of the community feel heard and understood.
“I’m passionate about is Riverside. And so you know, doing … what I feel is best after hearing out everything, you know, getting out gathering all the information and hearing it out,” Kos said.
