Millar takes Del Mar’s place on Palatine council
Not much business was conducted at Monday’s Palatine village council meeting, but there was a goodbye, a new face and plenty of promises for the next four years.
The evening began with Mayor Jim Schwantz honoring outgoing District 1 Councilman Aaron Del Mar with a resolution of appreciation, which included a list of accomplishments in which he played a role.
Among the highlights were the back-to-back reductions in the village’s tax levy, new police headquarters, a new fire station, electric aggregation, the creation of a new tax increment financing district and $10 million in TIF district surplus money that was distributed to local taxing bodies.
In Del Mar’s district, Schwantz lauded his leadership in the Brentwood subdivision’s conversion to Lake Michigan water and the widening of a burn zone between homes and the Deer Grove East Forest Preserve.
Del Mar, who remains the Cook County Republican chairman, did not seek a second term as councilman.
Succeeding him was Tim Millar, who for the past eight years has held a seat on the Palatine Township Elementary District board. Millar, who was unopposed in his bid for village council, said he’s looking to create a stronger business environment for small-business owners. He also wants to focus on long-term planning that emphasizes the rights of homeowners.
“The village has done a wonderful job,” said Millar, who has a business and finance background. “I just want to expand on (these issues).”
Millar said he became interested in politics when he had his own land issue and got to know former Councilman Jim Wilson.
“He was the one who talked me into the school board, and I give him a hard time about that every day,” Millar joked.
Schwantz, who also ran unopposed, was sworn in for a second term in office. He said he is humbled to serve and credited the village’s staff for its commitment and excellence.
“It’s a responsibility we never take lightly and it’s a privilege and an honor to be able to serve as strong as Palatine,” Schwantz said.
District 4 Councilman Greg Solberg, District 6 Councilman Brad Helms and Clerk Marg Duer also were sworn in.