Mahomet’s Mayor Patrick Brown announced his intent to resign from his position during Tuesday night’s Village Board of Trustees meeting. Brown, who was elected in 2013, is submitting his resignation in hopes of being named Village Administrator by his successor.
Although the Board of Trustees did not officially elect a replacement for Brown during Tuesday’s study session, they did voice support for Trustee Sean Widener to become acting Village President for the remainder of the term. Trustees Andy Harpst and Bill Oliger also voiced interest in the position.
Brown intends to present his resignation with the support of becoming Village Administrator next Tuesday at the beginning of the Village Board meeting. Once Brown steps aside, Trustees will then vote in an acting President. The acting President can then appoint a Village Administrator.
While Widener Oliger, Lynn, Colravy and Widener support Widener becoming the acting Village President, Cook would like to see the Trustee who leaves their post transiton fully into the Mayor position so that the board continues to have six Trustees voting. The Mayor votes when the Board splits on an issue.
The Mayor also has veto power. An ordinance or resolution has not been vetoed since 2007.
While Widener said he intends to keep his Trustee position, the group also left the discussion to be concluded during next week’s meeting. Cook, who said she was undecided on her nominating vote, voiced concern for Widener holding onto both his Trustee seat and acting Mayor post because she did not want to see the group “short-handed.”
The Village Board and Village Administrator hiring committee received resumes after Village Administrator Mel Smigielski retired in October. Smigielski is now the Village Administrator in Mexico Beach, Florida.
The group not only wanted to find a candidate who possessed strong leadership and management skills, but also someone who would have a strong presence in the community and also call Mahomet home.
“It’s a big decision for us,” Brown said. “It’s a crucial time for us, and we wanted somebody that we could have confidence in and would not take a long time to get accustomed to the community or Village of Mahomet.”
During a board discussion before Thanksgiving, Trustee Lynn voiced that he thought Brown would be a good fit for the Administrator position. Brown talked with other Trustees and members of the Mahomet community over break, and because he received support to pursue the post, he decided to submit his resignation next week.
Brown, whose platform during the Mayoral election was improving infrastructure and customer service throughout the Village, said his focus will not change should he be appointed to the Administrator position.
“As a full-time person who is managing the office on a full-time basis and managing our staff, it will actually be easier for me to get some of these things done through the Administrator position than it is as Mayor,” he said.
Brown, who was a Trustee from 2007 to 2013 and Mayor for over a year, said he will have a unique advantage as an Administrator. Knowing the direction the Board wishes to take, and having worked behind the scenes with the staff, he believes he will be able to present topics and information to the Board in an effective and concise way.
“It gives me a unique advantage that I think will add to my success because I know what is expected,” he said.
Brown would like to change the way resolutions and ordinances are presented to the Board in the future. He said contemplative discussion will help Board members make effective decisions for the community. Currently, the board sees and discusses policies just weeks before they are put into play. Brown believes presenting topics even months before they are voted upon will give Board members better insight.
“I look at it as an opportunity for me to do a better job,” he said. “Having the opportunity to do it full-time is something that I welcome and am excited to do.”
Brown worked for Horizon Hobby before becoming Mayor of Mahomet.
