The chairman of the Vermilion County Board wants a meeting with federal representatives to discuss the recent resignations of all five Vermilion County Housing Authority Commissioners. Mike Marron (shown here) says as County Board Chairman he has the authority to appoint new members to the Vermilion County Housing Board of Commissioners. But Marron says he is reluctant to do so until he has answers to what prompted the resignations of the former board members.
And Marron adds he wants to be certain that no appointee of his would be subject to any liability because of a controversial loan made long before either he or his predecessor – Gary Weinard – were elected chairman.
The five Vermilion County Housing Authority Board members all resigned on March 19th stating they were frustrated with federal officials handling of a $1.6 million dollar unpaid loan. Longview Bank and Trust filed suit earlier against the housing authority over the loan.
Marron says the earliest he could appoint someone to fill the vacancies on the board would be April 17th at the next county board meeting. But Marron says he thinks the County is entitled to know more about the loan issue which is now a pending lawsuit. ‘’I think the County has an interest in knowing what is going on and why,’’ said Marron in a letter he sent to HUD requesting a meeting. ‘’I will simply not set others up for failure,’’ added Marron.
