07/16/2026
When I was first elected Mayor in 2020, I inherited an organization with many dedicated employees but without a clear, unified direction. Staff often received conflicting guidance from individual council members, there was no shared vision for the future of our village, and transparency was lacking.
I still remember one council member telling me, "We are council, and we can do whatever we want." That same council opposed creating an Economic Development Commission to attract new businesses and refused to livestream council meetings so residents could more easily follow their local government.
Two years later, voters elected four new council members who shared a vision for moving our village forward. Together, we prioritized economic development, increased transparency by livestreaming meetings, and addressed long-overdue infrastructure needs, including improvements to Main Street south of Airport Highway and Munson Road.
Around that same time, I hired Shannon Shulters as our Village Administrator. Together, we built a leadership team with Police Chief Trejo, Fire Chief Kepling, and then-Fiscal Officer Benfield. These professionals built strong teams of their own, creating a culture based on trust, collaboration, respect, and accountability.
Because of that teamwork, we reduced operating costs, shared equipment and resources across departments, and improved efficiency while maintaining stability and minimizing employee turnover.
Unfortunately, over the past seven months, the atmosphere has changed. Since several new council members took office, division and conflict have become increasingly common. One council member has repeatedly challenged department heads over detailed budget questions, even though those departments are operating within budgets that were approved by council.
Council oversight is both necessary and appropriate. However, there is a difference between responsible oversight and creating an environment where department heads spend countless hours responding to requests that take them away from serving our residents.
The impact is becoming clear. Our Fiscal Officer has already left. Our Village Administrator is considering leaving as well. Our Fire Chief, a trained paramedic, has opportunities to earn more elsewhere. If we continue down this path, we risk losing experienced leaders who have worked hard to strengthen our village.
Leadership positions are difficult to fill under the best of circumstances. If talented professionals believe they will work in an environment where collaboration is replaced by constant conflict, many simply won't apply.
I believe our village deserves better. We need a culture where council provides thoughtful oversight while respecting the professionals hired to manage day-to-day operations. We have accomplished too much together to allow unnecessary division to undermine the progress we've made.
Our residents deserve stable leadership, responsible government, and a council focused on moving our community forward—not backward.
