Carol Stream village manager says he's retiring, reflects on 40 years of municipal service

Robert "Bob" Mellor began working in the Carol Stream government when the town was only a few decades old.

The village's founder, Jay Stream, a savvy developer, built the community out of farmland in the late 1950s, paving the way for housing and light industrial businesses. Mellor's career took off as the village experienced another growth spurt in the 1980s.

"I like to tell the story that Carol Stream and Naperville were, every year, neck and neck with the most residential building permits," Mellor said. "And, of course, Naperville is much bigger now, and they have more room to grow. But we were booming at the time. Our population was growing."

Since those boom days, Mellor has served alongside three mayors and many village trustees who largely stayed true to Jay Stream's vision. Mellor, an even-keeled presence, has told the current board he intends to retire next month after 40 years in municipal government, the last five spent as village manager. Trustees appointed Mellor to the top administrative post following Joseph Breinig's retirement in 2018.

"They felt confident that I could do the job, which I think I have done. And I'm grateful and thankful to the staff that I have," Mellor said. "We all get along. We all know how to get the job done and how to make the residents happy."

He was first hired as an administrative assistant by then-Village Manager Greg Bielawski in 1984. Mellor worked his way up to assistant village manager in 1989.

During his tenure, Mellor saw Carol Stream grow from a population of 15,472 to nearly 40,000 people. Just as Bielawski once did, Mellor keeps a handwritten record of the population count in his village hall office.

"I think Carol Stream is still perceived as a good place to live and work," Mellor said.

Carol Stream is also known for continuity in village leadership. Elected officials "follow guidance from their predecessors," Mellor said.

"They continue on with the successes of the past," he said.

Mellor has guided Carol Stream through the COVID-19 pandemic, periods of industrial and commercial development and economic downturn. And still, the village has maintained its debt-free status.

Shortly after Mellor took the reins from Breinig, village employees and police officers moved back into a newly expanded municipal center in 2018. The former McDade & Co. building off North Avenue served as their temporary headquarters while the village hall was renovated and a three-level addition was built as part of a $15.3 million project.

"We completed it on time and under budget and without going into debt," Mellor said.

On the environmental front, Carol Stream is one of 16 communities participating in a new EV readiness program launched last year to help local governments meet the demand for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. The village has also won awards for using alternatives to road salt and for its solar energy policies.

"We have a bunch of solar panels in Carol Stream," Mellor said. "People have really taken advantage of that, and we make it really easy for them to get permits for it."

As Mellor prepares to retire on Nov. 10, village officials are looking at doing a study to expand or renovate the Town Center, a venue for its summer concert series at Gary Avenue and Lies Road.

Trustees already have named current Police Chief William Holmer as the next village manager. In 2020, Mellor recruited Holmer from Glen Ellyn, where he spent 16 years as assistant police chief. Holmer also previously served as Glen Ellyn's assistant village manager.

Holmer will step down as Carol Stream's police chief on Nov. 11. Mellor has appointed Deputy Don Cummings as the interim police chief.

"We had that all worked out before I actually leave office," Mellor said.

As for his retirement plans, Mellor hopes to travel with his wife, go fishing with his brother and do some charity work, maybe volunteer at a pet adoption agency. His family has two dogs, a Pitbull mix and a chiweenie, a cross between a Chihuahua and a dachshund.

"I have three grandkids I want to spend more time with," Mellor said, "and it's just the right time."