Palatine Village Council Says Goodbye to Wagner

After 24 years, District 5 Council member Jack Wagner's tenure on the village board is fast approaching its end.

Wagner was defeated in the April 5 election by Kollin Kozlowski. The Village Council thanked Wagner for his service at a recent meeting.

"As a new mayor I looked to Jack for a lot of guidance. Jack was very patient with me, helped me along my way. Helped make that transition a smooth one and for that I will always be indebted to you for that," Palatine Mayor Jim Schwantz said.

Schwantz noted that Wagner was a constant champion of improved police and fire services in Palatine. Among those in attendance at the meeting were numerous members of Palatine's police and fire departments who lined the back wall of council chambers.

"As evidenced by . . . the uniformed personnel who stopped by this evening, you can see that Jack was passionate about public safety and about promoting public safety in the village of palatine," Schwantz said.

Wagner's public service began before he joined the village council in 1987. He served as a member of Palatine's board of health from 1974 to 1976 and was part of the Salt Creek Rural Park District board from 1983 to 1991.

District 4 Council member Greg Solberg joined the council a few months after Wagner in 1987.

"The last 24 years you've been a fellow councilman, a trusted colleague and a good friend to me and many others," Solberg said.

Solberg said that Wagner spurred healthy debate on the village council. He also noted Wagner's dedication to Palatine public safety. In Wagner's honor a bronze plaque will be a fixed to the Palatine Road fire station.

"Jack, you have to admit that those 24 years flew by," Solberg said. "But I hope you have time to reflect, because so much was accomplished and you were an integral part of it," Solberg said.

Wagner said that he had enjoyed his years on the council, adding that he thought Palatine's current village staff was the best it had ever been.

"I appreciate getting to know a lot of folks, I appreciate the time that you allowed me to serve on the village council," Wagner said. "I enjoyed working with all of these folks up here. In his short term that he's been up here, Mayor Schwantz has proved to be an excellent mayor. I'm very proud to have been able to serve with him and the rest of these members of the council."