Longtime Hoffman Estates attorney to retire

In a move that surprised few, Hoffman Estates Village Attorney Richard Williams on Friday announced his retirement.

Williams, who's served the village for 34 years, will move permanently to Florida to pursue other opportunities, according to a memo he sent to village staff. Williams has been commuting from Florida in recent years to tend to village matters.

Williams, who appeared twice before the U.S. Supreme Court on the village's behalf, could not be reached for comment Friday. In his memo, he said he'd continue to work until his post is filled. He noted that could take two weeks to two years.

Trustee Raymond Kincaid said the atmosphere created by Mayor William McLeod and his supporters in "bullying" Williams laid the framework for the departure. He said Williams wasn't treated with respect and was forced out in the same manner as longtime Village Clerk Virginia Hayter, who left earlier this year.

"I don't know what's going on," Kincaid said. "I'm going to watch closely. I'm not really sure of the intent."

McLeod disagreed with Kincaid's assessment and praised Williams' service.

"He's got a great legal mind and a great deal of background on legal matter and the history of Hoffman Estates," McLeod said.

Williams' announcement comes right before Tuesday's village board meeting, where McLeod said he'll nominate Dominick DiMaggio as assistant village attorney. DiMaggio has served as village prosecutor on routine traffic cases since 2001.

DiMaggio works out of a Rolling Meadows office and worked with Trustee Cary Collins' law office from 1993 to 1996. He's eager to be promoted and is slated to pick up some of Williams' responsibilities.

"We're going to be more aggressive," DiMaggio said. "We've had a lot of nuisance complaints that sometimes haven't been followed up on."

The village board created the assistant attorney's post in July, and Collins then suggested the assistant could be Williams' heir. Kincaid voted against the measure, saying that Williams wasn't part of the process.