County Board member Suzanne Petrella is a resident of District 1 again—and a county board member for that district.

The county board affirmed her appointment to that seat, 5-3, Tuesday after a 20-minute discussion about whether she was living in the district she was elected to represent. The board declared her seat vacant Dec. 20 after she filed nominating petitions seeking re-election that listed an address in District 2.

All 10 county board seats—five seats for each district—are up for election this year.

Petrella listed 1394 Route 31, Oswego, which is not in District 1, on her candidate petition seeking re-election. That address will be in District 1 when the redistricting changes associated with the 2010 census go into effect in December 2012, but Petrella said she got different legal opinions on whether she was compliant in the meantime.

Petrella said she was staying at the address on Route 31 as she moved from her long-term residence at 14 Maple Street, Yorkville, to 4588 Camden Lane, Yorkville—both addresses in District 1. She said she had been trying to sell the Maple Street home unsuccessfully for some time.

Petrella said she started moving in October but didn’t draw a lease on the Camden Lane unit until State’s Attorney Eric Weis brought the residency issue to her attention.

But Yorkville resident Jo Ann Gilbert questioned when Petrella moved out of the district based on a real estate listing dated Sept. 8. Photos attached to the real estate listing showed a home without furniture.

“Is Ms. Petrella’s four-week claim of only being four weeks out of district an accurate and forthright statement,” Gilbert asked during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting. “Has the public’s trust been violated by Ms. Petrella?”

Petrella affirmed later in the meeting that four weeks was the correct timeframe. But County Board member Bob Davidson (District 1) pushed for confirmation of her residency beyond the voter’s registration, bills and driver’s license County Board Chairman John Purcell (District 1) said he reviewed before suggesting her appointment.

“Let’s make sure we’re right,” Davidson said. “There’s furniture now, she’s living there. Fine, maybe we can do this. But somebody should have checked it out more than just a piece of paper.”

County Board member Jeff Wehrli (District 2) didn’t think that was necessary.

“Nobody’s checked my residence lately, and I hope they don’t have to in order for me to stay on this board,” Wehrli said. “I hope that doesn’t become one of our criteria.”

Voting against Petrella's appointment were Dan Koukol (District 2), Davidson and John Shaw (District 1).