Tom Cauley Begins Historic 2nd Term as Hinsdale Village President

Though it occurred without much pomp and circumstance Tuesday night, the swearing in of Tom Cauley to the role of Hinsdale village president for a second four-year term was historically significant.

Upon completion of his new term, Cauley, who ran unopposed for village president last month, would be the first person in Hinsdale’s history to serve as village president for eight consecutive years, according to village documents supplied by village clerk Chris Bruton.

Of the 39 village presidents in Hinsdale’s 140-year history, 33 served four or less years.

The last village president to serve more than four years was Frederick H. McElhone, who served from 1939-45. The only others to serve more than four years were W.T. Bruckner (1925-30), R.W. Burns (1919-24), John C.F. Merrill from (1894-98, 1902-04), and E.P. Hinds (1878, 1884-86, 1888-89, 1892-93).

“I think being a village president, there’s a learning curve that takes one to two years,” Cauley said when asked last winter why he was seeking a second term. “To understand contracts, police department structure, pension structure, a lot of issues, it takes a year or two to get up to speed.”

Cauley, who served two years as a trustee before running for village president in 2009, said his big-picture goals for the next four years are the same as those he had during the last four.

“Put the village on firmer financial footing, fix the roads and sewers, and revitalize downtown,” he said.

Cauley wants to see the village’s 15-year Master Infrastructure Plan successfully implemented. When his term ends in 2017, that plan is scheduled to be nearly halfway complete. He also expects the Oak Street Bridge replacement project to be a major issue during his second term.

The Hinsdale Village Caucus, which for the last 75-plus years has vetted and nominated village and school board candidates every two years, can only endorse first-term village president candidates according to its bylaws. So though its village president nominating committee selected Cauley last fall, the caucus as a whole could not and did not make the endorsement.

The group endorsed no candidate for village president.

Cauley respects the caucus’ one-term bylaw and did not expect an official endorsement last year.

“I think that what the caucus is concerned about is that you have a village president for life,” he said.

Cauley said he believes no one in his position should serve more than two four-year terms.

Trustee Bob Saigh also began his second term Tuesday after serving four years with Cauley.

"He has excellent leadership skills," Saigh said of the village president. "He's a wonderful thinker and communicator."

And those skills that Saigh said Cauley has brought to the board of trustees from his work as a trial lawyer permeate throughout the village staff. 

"The trickle-down on that I think is obvious," Saigh said.

Cauley has lived in Hinsdale for more than 25 years. He lives with his wife, Sharon, with whom he has raised three grown children.

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