Libertyville Village Trustee Todd Gaines Resigns

Libertyville village Trustee Todd Gaines resigned Tuesday night and the resignation will be made official at the next village board meeting on Sept. 27.

Gaines is a partner in a high-end Indian motorcycle dealership that will open soon in downtown Libertyville. His new business made it tough to meet his elected obligations.

"There's such a demand for my time here at Indian, it's just not fair to hang on," said Gaines in the story by the Daily Herald.

Gaines was elected in 2009 and re-elected to a second term in 2013.

Mayor Terry Weppler has chosen former police chief Pat Carey to fill Gaines' trustee position. The required approval of the full village board is expected.

The Daily Herald reports:

Gaines joined the board when local governments were hit hardest by the recession. Staff and other budget cuts and the creation of utility taxes were among the tough decisions early in his tenure.
He said the board made responsible decisions, and noted some of those taxes since have been cut or eliminated.
Trustee Donna Johnson, the longest serving board member, said Gaines brought balance, compassion and integrity to all decisions. Trustee Rich Moras said Gaines had the ability to "diagnose things with a great degree of common sense."
Other issues during his tenure include: completion of a parking deck downtown and construction of a second one, which is ongoing; the sale of Bolander Park for residential development; the hiring of public works and finance directors; and, the decision to lease and ultimately close the 9-hole municipal golf course.

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