Politics & Government
La Grange President To Resign
Village President Tom Livingston cited increased job responsibilities as his reason for decision.
LA GRANGE, IL — La Grange Village President Tom Livingston on Monday announced he plans to resign in the new few weeks because he has more duties with his full-time job.
He issued a statement to residents in the hours before the La Grange Village Board's regular meeting Monday night. He began the meeting with the news.
"I have communicated with my fellow board members that I'll be rotating off the village board in a few weeks, sometime in the quarter," Livingston said. "This is because of additional job duties, and I only have 24 hours in a day and I have a family."
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Livingston, 52, promised an "orderly and well-communicated" transition. He joined the village board of trustees in 2003. Then he left in 2011 to focus on being the chairman of both the Civic Federation of Chicago and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. In 2013, he was elected village president. "This has been an epic run," he told the board.
He is recommending the board name the senior trustee, Mark Kuchler, to take his place until the April 2021 election.
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"It's up to the board to decide," Livingston said in an interview after the board meeting. "Anyone on the board would be terrific. I have confidence in the board members and the staff."
For his full-time job, Livingston had been heading government relations for CSX Transportation for the Midwest. Now, he's in charge of the railroad company's entire service area, which is a big increase in responsibility, Livingston said.
Livingston said that when he took the helm, the town was already in "great shape." But he said lingering challenges existed because of the recession. He said the village's achievements during his time as mayor included the renovation of the old YMCA property into upscale apartments and the recruitment of Anderson's bookstore to the old PNC Bank building.
Village Trustee Beth Augustine praised Livingston after his announcement.
"You will be greatly missed. I appreciate serving with you," she said.
Livingston responded, "We'll work to the end."
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