KANE COUNTY, Ill. — Treasurer Chris Lawson presented a proposed resolution on Aug. 27 asking the committee to petition on behalf of Gwen Henry as a candidate for an open executive trustee seat on the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) board.

Lawson described Henry as a long‑serving DuPage County treasurer with experience in municipal finance and trustee studies; he said having a county friend on IMRF’s board could be beneficial given IMRF’s much larger asset base and influence on actuarial assumptions. "It's always good to have friends at the table," Lawson said during his remarks.

Procedural objection: A committee member raised a procedural concern, saying nominations of this type are typically presented first to the county chair for vetting. The chair of the committee acknowledged the concern, accepted responsibility for placing the item on the agenda without prior consultation and apologized to the committee chair. The item was referred to the committee process for potential future consideration.

Why it matters: IMRF sets actuarial assumptions and policies that affect employer pension contributions across local governments in Illinois. Committee members noted that board representation and relationships can influence policy conversations important to employers and taxpayers.

Next steps: Treasurer Lawson indicated he offered the draft resolution for committee consideration but the committee did not take final action at the Aug. 27 meeting pending adherence to internal vetting protocol. Committee members emphasized they expect nominations and requests of this nature to be coordinated with the county chair going forward.