Hoffman Estates mayor includes former foes in re-election slate

Hoffman Estates' political tradition of changing sides continued Tuesday as Mayor William McLeod announced he's running for re-election in 2009 with the support of two trustees who once opposed him.

Trustees Ray Kincaid and Karen Mills confirmed they will run for re-election in April 2009 alongside McLeod, Trustee Jackie Green and village Clerk Bev Romanoff.

Running together was McLeod's idea. Even though the election is eight months away, McLeod doesn't think it's too early to begin.

"I think it's important that the people in the community know how well the village board is getting along," he said.

The group will circulate nomination papers together and appear on the same campaign literature.

What makes the alliance interesting is the support of Kincaid and Mills. There have been times, including the debate over the demolition of the Lindbergh schoolhouse, where both disagreed with McLeod.

In 2005 Kincaid and Mills were members of "The Team," who with Kenley-Rupnow and former Trustee Ed Frank tried to defeat McLeod and his supporters. That's when Kincaid was first elected.

Kincaid said he agreed not to endorse any other candidates. He was the last one to sign off on the 2009 slate, saying that he made his decision Friday.

"Maybe part of this … is we aren't going to run for mayor," Kincaid said. "Karen said she wasn't going to, and quite frankly I wanted to be a trustee. It provides a little bit more comfort that it doesn't have (McLeod) running against us for mayor."

Kincaid said he's asked McLeod to be more communicative over village business, saying that in the past he's been surprised by motions made during board meetings.

"I'm hoping to give this a try, and hoping I'm not blindsided by anything," Kincaid said. "Bill knows if I am blindsided, all bets are off."

With 15 years on the board, Mills is the village's senior trustee. She agrees with Kincaid, saying the two have talked about the merits of teaming up with McLeod since the mayor first suggested the alliance about three months ago. She said the time has come to "mend fences."

"In some ways I was surprised, in other way I wasn't," Mills said. "We all have the same purpose in mind: the good of Hoffman Estates."

McLeod praised Kincaid and Mills for their institutional knowledge, noting last year's departures of former longtime mayor and village clerk Virginia Hayter and village attorney Richard Williams. McLeod said he had to prove to Kincaid and Mills that he would include them and that unity was the best policy. He said the board members would continue to support development, though there would be times they'd disagree.

"No one wants a rubber-stamp board," Mills said.

Meanwhile, for Green and Romanoff, McLeod's support is expected to help alleviate campaign pressure. Romanoff was appointed in 2007 to replace Hayter, while Green was appointed last year to fill in for state Rep. Fred Crespo, who said Springfield is too demanding to hold a trustee seat at the same time.

The two said over the last year they've seen the board grow closer together, both in and outside the board room. Green said it took a while to persuade herself to run for the seat.

"I think the board is in a really good position, we all get along really well," Green said.

Romanoff said part of her appointment was the decision to run for election. She remains friends with McLeod.

McLeod was appointed mayor in 2000 after Mayor Michael O'Malley died in office. McLeod also has changed allegiances throughout his political career, serving as Hayter's campaign manager in 1980, then supporting Betty Gloyd in 1985 before Hayter's defeat.

"You'll find these things cyclical in communities, you'll have some really hot elections, then you'll have some long periods of relatively quiet elections," McLeod said.