Naperville's staff pays tribute to outgoing city manager

Accessorizing is the hallmark of great style.

And for a man who is teased about his resemblance to fashion guru Tim Gunn, it's questionable what Gunn would make of the accessories given to departing Naperville City Manager Peter Burchard by his staff at a farewell party Friday.

The inscribed Tag Heuer wristwatch he received from city department heads would probably go with anything, but the specially designed fireman's hat and police nightstick are definitely not formalwear. Burchard also received a number of sentimental gifts throughout the party, but refused to pick a favorite.

"I'm not going to any more city council meetings, so I won't need this," he said, after opening the police department's gift of the mounted nightstick.

Burchard, who is leaving for a job in the private sector after more than 20 years in municipal government, is regarded almost as much for his wit as his leadership skills.

When he was first hired, a Naperville police department mug shot was circulated after Chief David Dial jokingly complained that the council had hired Burchard without conducting a background check.

"I was only kind of joking about that check," Dial said. "We took that picture up to his farewell party in Hoffman Estates, though, and the mayor was showing it around. We tested his sense of humor before we actually met and I'm glad he had one, otherwise I wouldn't be here today."

While all of the staff's recollections of working for Burchard carried touches of humor, the staff also described their boss as inspiring.

"I compare him to the great college teachers you have that you stay up late to finish projects for because you wanted to impress them," said Marcie Schatz, who heads the city's transportation, engineering and development department.

Burchard's administrative assistant said she spent most of the previous evening sculpting her speech and had cried herself "out of tears" in the process.

"You have a passion for life," she told her former boss. "People want to join you to fight the fight and reach, at times, what seems the impossible."

Burchard abruptly resigned last month after serving the city for 10 years. He was recuperating from his second back surgery in as many years at the time and cited his declining health as a reason for stepping aside from his "demanding" job at city hall and taking a job in Georgia in the health care industry.

But the resignation also came shortly after a city councilman sued the city following an arrest and acquittal of battery charges against a city police officer. Burchard later said that lawsuit aided his decision to quit. Last week, Burchard sent off a scathing letter outlining what he described as a history of abuses by that councilman against city staff. City Attorney Margo Ely briefly touched on that controversy.

"We should all really thank Peter for that letter last week; he's our hero," she said. "It showed courage, and that's how we're going to remember him."