Committee recommends Vanessa Tomporta for housing grants commission; two candidates advanced for Mental Health Board

McHenry County’s Public Health & Community Services Committee on Dec. 3 interviewed applicants for two advisory bodies and voted to forward recommendations to the county board chairman.

Vanessa Tomporta, a local Berkshire Hathaway real estate agent and Turning Point board secretary, was recommended to the Community Development Housing Grant Commission after members moved and seconded the recommendation. The committee’s motion to recommend Tomporta (moved by Mister Shorten and seconded by Mister Hendricks) passed on a recorded vote; the recommendation will go to the county board chairman for appointment to a term starting Dec. 15, 2025, and expiring Dec. 15, 2028.

For the Mental Health Board, the committee interviewed multiple applicants including long-serving members and new candidates. After deliberation, the committee voted to recommend Deanna Kell and Thomas (Tom) Lang Henry for two open positions, with terms to begin Dec. 31, 2025, and expire Dec. 31, 2029. Members said they weighed institutional knowledge against new perspectives and emphasized the heavy time commitment required for the Mental Health Board, which reviews grant applications and allocates limited local funds.

What committee members said: During interviews members repeatedly emphasized attendance and preparation obligations for appointees and said recommendations from this committee are forwarded to the county board chairman, who makes final appointments. Shorten and several other members praised the depth of applicants’ experience and said different backgrounds (business operations, first-responder experience, long-term board service) offered complementary skills for the boards.

Next steps: The committee’s recommendations will be sent to the county board chairman for final appointment. No final county-board appointment occurred at the Dec. 3 meeting.