By Ted Schnell • BocaJump
One is a grizzled veteran of city politics, the other, after only two years on the Elgin City Council, is experienced but still a novice by comparison.
Yet each received standing ovations from their fellow City Council members, city staffers and residents who were present Wednesday night during the last council meeting of longtime Mayor Ed Schock and Councilman Mike Warren.
Both bid emotional farewells to their fellow council members.
Councilman David Kaptain defeated Schock's re-election bid, ending the former Elgin School District U-46 educator's 12 years as Elgin mayor.
Councilman John Steffen retained his seat in the April 6 election that saw Anna Moeller and Tish Powell win to fill council seats left vacant by Kaptain's ascent to mayor and by Warren's defeat.
Schock took the podium first to honor Warren with a proclamation of appreciation for his two years of service as a city councilman.
Schock praised not only Warren's service, but also his advocacy of economic development, the need for responsive city services, his advocacy for and involvement in Lords Park, and his work with an array of charitable organizations in Elgin. Schock predicted Warren's continued public service to the city.
Later, longtime Councilman Gilliam took the podium to present Schock with a proclamation of appreciation, which brought a standing ovation.
Gilliam praised Schock for his leadership over the years, crediting the exiting mayor with Elgin's push westward, its economic development successes and a litany of other accomplishments.
“Ed Schock has been one of the most outstanding councilmen I have ever served with – Elgin would not be where it is today without Mayor Schock,” Gilliam said.
Further, he credited Schock for never backing off after giving his word on something.
An emotional Schock took the podium to express his gratitude, and recalling that the two grew up on the same street in Elgin, he turned to Gilliam and praised him as “the greatest council person I have ever worked with.”
"When you are serving with a councilman like Bob, how can you go wrong?" Schock asked.
As Warren had earlier, Schock thanked and praised the councilmen with whom he worked over his 18 years as a councilman and as mayor, adding that while they did not always agree, these were people whowere committed to doing what was best for Elgin.
Becoming emotion, he then thanked his family, listing the events he missed, the lost vacations and other sacrifices they made as he served the city.
If Schock's voice trembled with emotion as he listed his family's sacrifices, it shook with anger as he took exception to what he termed an unhealthy trend in local politics: personal attacks on those aspiring to public office.
He pointed specifically to those who have posted anonymous attacks on the Internet, calling such people cowardly for their unwillingness to publicly reveal themselves in expressing their views, saying that practice is an “anathema to democracy.”
Schock then congratulated Kaptain's election as mayor – “he will make an outstanding mayor and I wish him the best.” He expressed similar thoughts for Steffen, Powell and Moeller.
Lastly, Schock thanked the city staff “who often do their jobs in anonymity ... but do them excellently. They make us (the council) look good.”
He assured Elgin residents that the city staffers “go above and beyond to ensure the citizens of Elgin get a dollar of service for every dollar they spend in taxes.”
Earlier, Warren was greeted by a standing ovation as he took the podium to speak.
“This experience has had an impact on me,” he said, adding he was surprised at the low voter turnout and the election's outcome. “But I am resilient.”
He applauded the election of Moeller and Powell, saying the council needs women members and predicted the two will bring a fresh perspective that is need on the council.
Warren also expressed his gratitude to his wife for her support over the years, and then thanked Elgin residents for the privilege of working with them over the past two years.
He also took time to praise Schock and Councilman Robert Gilliam and other Elgin leaders, including Councilmen John Steffen, Kaptain, Richard Dunne and Prigge. He went on to honor City Manager Sean Stegall, Corporation Counsel Bill Cogley, Assistant City Manager Rick Kozal and many, many other leaders on the city staff, particularly for accomplishing more with less as the city has undergone cutbacks.
In closing, Warren said he is proud of his service on the council and his careful deliberation of issues that arose during his short tenure, and he wish the city's new leadership good luck.
