McLeod honored for 35 years on Hoffman Estates board

Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod was surprised by his fellow village board members Monday with a heartfelt resolution honoring him on his 35th anniversary as a member of the board.

Though framed within the formal-sounding language of a typical board resolution, this one uncharacteristically included the personal experiences and insights of the six trustees and Village Clerk Bev Romanoff, who saluted McLeod's round-the-clock devotion to Hoffman Estates.

The resolution ended by declaring the very next day - Tuesday, Sept. 29 - William D. McLeod Day in the village.

McLeod said he's found the jobs of trustee and village president to be rewarding in many ways.

"My enthusiasm is the same as it was on Sept. 22, 1980, when I came on the village board," he said.

McLeod was clearly moved by the unexpected honor at Monday's meeting.

"I'm kind of overwhelmed here," he said.

The four-term mayor began his board tenure as an appointee, but continued to be elected as a trustee throughout the '80s and '90s.

Following the death of then Mayor Michael O'Malley in September 2000, McLeod was appointed acting village president by his fellow trustees. He's been elected mayor in his own right since 2001.