Collins resigns as Hoffman Estates deputy mayor

Hoffman Estates Trustee Cary Collins was so proud to be the village's deputy mayor, he would enthusiastically introduce himself to folks passing through village hall to make sure people knew he held the post.

The thrill apparently is gone, as Collins over the weekend e-mailed his resignation to Mayor William McLeod.

The village board on Monday accepted Collins' resignation and voted Trustee Gary Pilafas as the new deputy mayor effective immediately. Trustee Raymond Kincaid was the lone vote against Pilafas' appointment.

Collins, who was out of town Monday, said later that he isn't happy with the direction of village government, specifically how staff and the board handled taking over the Sears Centre.

He said trustees don't receive enough information from village staff before meetings on important matters, including the Sears Centre. And he says steps could have been taken to save the village more money while taking ownership from the former owners, the Ryan Companies.

"Not much of an effort was made," he said.

Meanwhile, McLeod downplayed Collins' decision, and directed questions about why the deputy mayor stepped down to Collins.

"I don't think the decision is earth-shattering," McLeod said before Monday's meeting.

As Collins reaches the end of his tenure on board - he's said he won't run for re-election when his term expires in 2011 - he said it was the right time to step down.

"I don't get any joy from being deputy mayor," Collins said.

He also cited an increased workload at his law practice.

"My wife said it's time for me to get away from the village; I get too uptight," he said. "She's probably right."

Kincaid, who voted against Pilafas' appointment, said he was unhappy that the village board didn't discuss the matter before voting on Collins' replacement. No board members made comments before the vote. Kincaid said he would have preferred Trustee Karen Mills for deputy mayor. Mills, the senior member on the board, has previously served in the post.

"We talked about having an open and transparent government in situations like this, and then we didn't have a meeting on it," Kincaid said.

While McLeod and Collins have been close political allies and friends, both said they haven't talked about Collins' decision. Collins said he left an angry voice mail for McLeod before he e-mailed his resignation Saturday. He would not divulge specifics, and said his resignation is not an indication on how he'll vote on future matters.

"I still hope to be the mayor's friend for years to come," Collins said.

During the meeting, McLeod thanked Collins for his dedication to the post.

In other action, the village canceled March 8 committee meetings, rescheduling them to before the board meeting on March 15. Collins and Pilafas were unable to attend on March 8.