WOODSTOCK – Within weeks of Tina Hill’s election as McHenry County Board chairwoman last month, Democratic state Rep. Jack Franks wrote her a letter asking about her intentions regarding county Metra representative Jack Schaffer.

Whatever her intentions are, they will have to include finding a replacement next year. Schaffer said he does not intend to seek another four-year term on the Metra Board of Directors.

Franks since 2010 has wanted to purge members, particularly Schaffer, who were on the board during the era of former Executive Director Phil Pagano, who was found to have inappropriately taken at least $475,000 in unauthorized vacation payouts, twice forging the former board president’s signature. Pagano committed suicide in May 2010 by stepping in front of a Metra train near his rural Crystal Lake home, hours before the board was set to fire him.