Hanover Park clerk announces retirement

First she was out as Hanover Park's collector. Now Sherry Craig has announced she's retiring as village clerk at the end of her term.

A blog entry posted by her husband, Mayor Rod Craig, cited his wife's desire to spend more time with her 1-year-old granddaughter and to do more volunteer work as reasons for the retirement. She'll leave the post when her term expires in April 2009, ending her tenure which began in 1985. She's been in office for six terms.

While she couldn't be reached for comment, Rod Craig touted his wife's dedication to Hanover Park, saying she was instrumental in creating the village's business parks and bringing the Schaumburg Public Library's branch to the village. He also mentioned her work with local PTAs and schools.

"She just wants to spend more time with family," Rod Craig said. "She's been dedicated for 23 years now; it's just time to move on to doing other things."

Earlier this year, the village board voted to eliminate Sherry Craig's collector job, a post she held for more than 20 years. While she earned $5,000 a year as clerk, she was earning $55,000 as collector, which involved collecting payments for various village fees and fines. The post was eliminated officially on April 30.

Board members, including Trustee Robert Packham, argued the collector's job was no longer needed, as the village was creating an information technology department which made the collector's post redundant and obsolete. Rod Craig argued the post's elimination was a bitter swipe by Packham and other political adversaries of his. Rod Craig said earlier in the year that Packham was still smarting for losing the mayoral election last year to him.

On Wednesday, Packham commended Sherry Craig for her service and wished her luck. He also said losing the collector's job may have been one of the reasons for retirement.

"I do not think either one of the Craigs like the way things in the village are going," Packham said.

Sherry Craig's retirement represents another tenured figure leaving village government, Rod Craig noted, mentioning former Mayor Sonya Crawshaw and the late interim-Mayor Irv Bock.

"She's been a model of dedication and leadership and caring, that's what I see," Rod Craig said.

Packham said he hadn't heard any rumblings about people interested in replacing Sherry Craig as clerk. In her husband's blog entry, Sherry Craig had advice for her future replacement:

"Never forget that you are here to meet the needs of (the) people of Hanover Park."