McLeod, trustees to seek re-election in Hoffman Estates
Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod announced Tuesday he will seek a fifth term as the village's top elected official.
Also running for re-election in next April's municipal contests will be Village Clerk Bev Romanoff, and village trustees Michael Gaeta, Karen Mills and Gayle Vandenbergh, McLeod said.
The announcements will be formally made at a campaign fundraiser Tuesday night at Ti Amo Cafe Italiano in Hoffman Estates.
The decision to run again was not a difficult one, McLeod said.
"I really enjoy the job," he said. "My passion is the same as when I began."
McLeod, who was honored by his fellow village board members last September for 35 years of public service, was appointed as a village trustee in 1980 and then won election to that office several times in the 1980s and 90s. After the death of then Mayor Michael O'Malley in September 2000, McLeod was appointed acting mayor by his fellow trustees. He's been elected mayor four times since 2001.
As a trustee, one of his proudest accomplishments was approval of the measure ensuring nonpartisan elections in the village.
As mayor, he said he's proud of Hoffman Estates' retention of Sears Holdings Inc. and the 6,000 jobs it brings, the village's successful takeover and turnaround of the once financially troubled Sears Centre Arena, and approval of the full tollway interchange at Barrington Road.
In the years ahead, he said he's looking forward to creating a new entertainment district near the Sears Centre.
Though announcing his candidacy for an April 4, 2017 election might seem early, the possibility of a February primary means it's not quite as early as some may think, McLeod said. Candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions in the late summer, and they must be filed in November.
A Feb. 28 primary would be held if there are more than four times the number of candidates for each available seat on the village board. In the case of the three at-large trustee seats that will be open, at least 13 candidates would need to file to trigger a primary.