Attorney Mike Hansen Withdraws From City Manager Post

JOLIET, IL — For the second straight week, the Joliet City Council learned that its top candidate to replace Steve Jones as interim city manager starting Aug. 8 has withdrawn from the job. Last week, Joliet Patch broke the news that Sabrina Spano was withdrawing from consideration as interim city manager. Spano is the city's interim corporation counsel.

After Spano withdrew, Joliet land development attorney Michael Hansen emerged the city council's leading choice to succeed Jones. The Joliet City Council met in closed session Tuesday night to discuss the city manager's position.

On Wednesday, Hansen told Joliet Patch's editor that he notified city officials including Mayor Bob O'Dekirk that he no longer wanted to be a candidate for the job.

Hansen told Patch that some personal reasons intervened during the past week that factored into his decision to withdraw as an interim city manager candidate. Secondly, he said, he realized that he would not have 100 percent support of the city council, if chosen for the position.

Hansen is one of Joliet's most respected attorneys, according to other practicing lawyers. He is a regular presence at Joliet City Council meetings because developers and businesses often hire him to speak on behalf of their projects that are up for a vote before the council.

Hansen has 44 years experience as a practicing lawyer in Joliet. He works in downtown Joliet at the law firm of Kavanagh, Grumley & Gorbold, 111 N. Ottawa St.

In addition to Spano and Hansen, Joliet Patch previously reported that Joliet First Midwest Bank executive Jim Roolf has been under consideration for the upcoming city manager's opening.

Roolf served as the master of ceremonies when Will County officials held their groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 19, 2017 to mark the beginning of construction for the new Will County Courthouse. The new $215 million courthouse is set to open in November.

Roolf has been also a major proponent of theJoliet Public Library's plans to spend more than $10 million to renovate its downtown library branch on Ottawa Street.