'In No Way, Shape Or Form Am I Going To Resign': Mokena Mayor

MOKENA, IL — Mokena Mayor Frank Fleischer took time during Monday's Village of Mokena Board of Trustees meeting to quash rumors that he would soon be retiring.

During the Mayor's Comments portion of the meeting, a seemingly amused Fleischer addressed the board by saying, "There's just one thing I'd like to straighten out: There are rumors going around the village that I'm going to resign. God I love social media."

Several people could be heard laughing off camera.

"In no way, shape or form am I going to resign," Fleischer said. "So, you can just quit wasting time on social media saying 'Mayor Fleischer is leaving.'"

Fleischer said that recent appointments of Trustees George Metanias and Debbie Engler as mayor pro tempore were intended to alleviate the need to do appoint one during a board meeting should Fleischer need to be absent.

Metanias was appointed mayor pro tempore in May, according to media outlet Richard Free Press. He actively served in the role in Fleischer's absence during the Sept. 19 board meeting.

Engler was briefly appointed to mayor pro tempore during the Dec. 13 meeting, but Metanias was once again reappointed to the position at Monday's meeting. Metanias was not physically present for Monday's meeting but participated via telephone.

"Trustee Metanias was and will be [mayor pro-tem] after this is taken care of, but he is going to be tied up for maybe about a month and a half," Fleischer said at the time of Engler's appointment. "So, I need to put somebody in that position. Usually, it is the senior trustee, and Debbie Engler is next in line."

Fleischer was reelected to a third term in April as Village president. He previously served as a Village trustee from 1987 to 2003.