Sabonjian gets standing ovation from Lake County Board
In his decade on the Lake County Board, Bob Sabonjian wasn't exactly known for holding his tongue.
Sabonjian would passionately sound off on many issues, especially those that affected his hometown of Waukegan or concerned the economic divide between the county's richest and poorest residents, and he ruffled more than a few feathers in the process.
But at what likely was his last meeting as a county board member Tuesday morning, Sabonjian - elected last week as Waukegan's next mayor - had nothing but kind words for his peers on the panel.
"I've been honored to work with everybody in this room for 10 years," Sabonjian told the group shortly before the meeting in downtown Waukegan concluded. "I've learned a lot from you. I've learned how good government can be, and how it can really serve the people that bring you here."
The other board members responded to Sabonjian's words just as kindly, with a standing ovation and handshakes.
Sabonjian is set to become Waukegan's mayor early next month. Running as an independent, he upset incumbent Mayor Richard Hyde to win the post.
Sabonjian, the son of a former Waukegan mayor, spoke from his second-row seat on the boardroom floor on Tuesday. He asked to address the group from the podium at the front of the room, but board Chairwoman Suzi Schmidt denied the request.
Undeterred, Sabonjian pledged to work with the county board as mayor and to ease some of the tensions that have risen between the city and county.
"I just want to let you know that as mayor of Waukegan, where before there was antagonism, there will be alliances," Sabonjian said. "Whereas before there was confrontation, there will be cooperation. I'm looking forward to being your partner in making Waukegan better and Lake County better."
The county board will appoint someone to replace Sabonjian as the District 8 representative once he resigns. By law the panel will have to choose a Democrat, because Sabonjian was a Democrat when he was re-elected to the board last fall.
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Video</h2> <ul class="video"> <li><a href="/multimedia/?category=4&type=video&item=69">Bob Sabonjian's final Lake Co. board meeting</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>