Arlington Heights trustee Kucera resigns

Arlington Heights Trustee Virginia Kucera resigned from the village board on Monday to spend more time with her husband and family.

"It was a difficult decision to make," she said. "But it's gotten to the point where my husband is having some health problems. When I told Bob I was going to resign, he wasn't sure. But I told him, 'You mean more to me.'"

Virginia and her husband have been married for 50 years.

Kucera, 70, has been a trustee for four terms, a total of 16 years. Her seat will be up in April's election.

Even though Kucera's resignation comes a few months before her term expires, the village will have to fill her seat, said assistant village attorney Robin Ward.

Village President Arlene Mulder has 60 days to nominate Kucera's replacement. That person must then be confirmed by the now seven-member village board, Ward said.

"I don't have anyone in mind right now, but I do want someone appointed by March, when we discuss the budget," Mulder said.

After faxing her resignation letter to Village Manager Bill Dixon, Kucera spent Monday shredding her trustee notes and documents.

"I want to spend time with Bob, my children and my grandchildren," she said. "It was a distinct honor to serve the people of Arlington Heights. I will never forget my time."

Throughout her time as trustee, Kucera was known to speak her mind even when no one else on the village board agreed with her.

In 2006, Kucera criticized her fellow trustees for installing five no-left-turn signs near Northwest Community Hospital. She vowed to bring up the issue at every single board meeting until her colleagues agreed to take the signs down because she said they were unsafe.

"I said if the police pull her over, tell them Virginia Kucera told you to do it," she said at an August 2006 board meeting.

Eventually the board agreed with her and removed the signs.

Kucera was also the only trustee to vote consistently against the TIF redevelopment of Golf and Arlington Heights roads, saying she didn't think the area was blighted and that it was unfair to relocate the International Plaza tenants. In the years since the district was created, little has happened due to dropped plans and lawsuits.