Local official's ties with Illinois special interest group come under fire
ROCKFORD — A member of the Winnebago County Board plans to question whether a fellow board member has a conflict of interest when it comes to his role with the Illinois Rental Property Owners Association.
Jean Crosby, R-16, said her concerns stem from an Illinois Lobbying Entity Registration Form filed with the Secretary of State on Jan. 15. The form lists Paul Arena, R-7, as the "Authorized Agent" for the organization, a statewide group that promotes the interests of individuals, firms and corporations who develop, own or manage residential rental housing.
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Arena, a Rockford area landlord, said he serves as the agency's nonpaid director of legislative affairs — responsible for petitioning on behalf of the organization and filing documents in Springfield, but is not the group's lobbyist.
On top of that, Arena, who has been an agent for the rental property association for at least 10 years, said he hasn't faced any conflicts of interests since he started serving on the Winnebago County Board in 2018.
"Never has anyone raised a concern to me," he said. "I can't think of a single thing that's come up that there was a conflict of interest."
Crosby said she still wants her fellow board members to weigh in on her concerns at Thursday night's board meeting.
"How do you serve two masters?" Crosby said.
Rockford-based parliamentarian Nancy Sylvester, who the county has hired in the past to provide training on good governance issues such as Robert's Rules of Order, said the answer to Crosby's question is simple. You cannot.
"Robert's is very, very, clear that anytime you have a direct personal interest that you should abstain from voting," Sylvester said. "So any time there's a connection, it doesn't matter how minor. It's not measured in dollars signs. It's measured in any kind of interest, direct personal interest that is not common to the other (board) members."
Bob Evans, an associate professor of economics, business, and political science at Rockford University, said it doesn't matter if an agent is paid or not, the obligation to an agency's interests pose a question.
"The agent must bend every effort to advance the interest of the principal," Evans said. "This is a legal obligation arising from the agency relationship. Pay or employment are not the determinative factors. They do not define the agency relationship."
Arena called Crosby's inquiry nothing more than a political maneuver.
Arena has an opponent in the upcoming June 28 primary election.
"Jean is the only Republican board member who did not endorse me," he said. "I asked her for her endorsement and she said, 'No.' So I'm not surprised. It's just politics."
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: County Board member questions perceived conflict of interest
