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City manager Tom Hamilton announces retirement
By M.K. Guetersloh
mkguetersloh@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON -- City Manager Tom Hamilton will retire, likely in early 2009, as part of the city’s early retirement offer.

The City Council voted in April to offer early retirement to about 95 employees who are age 50 or older with 20 years of enrollment in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

Hamilton, 52, has been city manager since January 1993.

A firm likely will be used to help the council conduct a national search for a replacement, Mayor Steve Stockton said. He emphasized the council will consider candidates already employed by the city as well as outside candidates.

Stockton hopes to find a replacement before January so Hamilton will have time to help with the transition.

“Bloomington should attract candidates from across Illinois and likely even from outside the state,” Stockton said. “We are a larger city that can attract talent with considerable experience, and our prosperity will help get us a good range of applicants.”

In the last 15 years, the city has grown from about 50,000 to 75,000 in population. Several aldermen credit Hamilton with helping facilitate that growth and ensuring city services keep up.

“I hate to see him leave,” Ward 5 Alderman Jim Finnegan said. “We are going to be hard-pressed to find a comparable replacement.”

Aldermen Jim Fruin, Ward 9; John Hanson, Ward 8; and David Sage, Ward 2, agreed.

“Tom has been a tremendous facilitator for the city, and his commitment to the city should be commended,” Sage said.

Under former mayor Judy Markowitz, Hamilton received a review of “outstanding” from the council in 2003. But current Ward 4 Alderman Judy Stearns sees Hamilton’s retirement as an opportunity for the council to look at the role of the city manager.

“This is the dawn of a new era for the city,” Stearns said.

In a written statement, Ward 7 Alderman Steven Purcell said he sees Hamilton’s departure as a good change.

“Well the city has obviously gone through several years of spending way too much money and expanding to very expensive things we could not afford. I wish Tom well but I do think it is going to be good to get a fresh new view of how we can get these costs under control in a fresh new way.”

This spring, the council approved Hamilton’s raise by a vote of 5-4. Playing into the vote were lingering issues over the city’s budget and the council’s 2004 decision to build the $35.8 million U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

Hamilton said the vote did not play into his retirement decision.

“It all boils down to money,” said Hamilton, whose annual salary is $138,810. “The package was just too good to pass up.”

Hamilton said he made the decision less than a week ago. “This will allow me to do something else without worrying about my family’s position,” said Hamilton, who is married with one college-aged son.

“I asked him in April if he would take it, and at that time I didn’t think he had an interest in it,” Ward 3 Alderman Kevin Huette said.

Huette voted against Hamilton’s raise, citing the previous 18 months’ performance and not Hamilton’s overall service.

Hamilton was involved in a number of park and road projects, renovation of the $14.5 million Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, the Coliseum, dozens of subdivisions, downtown revitalization projects and planned improvements of the Main Street corridor, Stockton said in recounting Hamilton’s accomplishments.

Hamilton started his career in local government when he was about 22, working as a planner with the McLean County Regional Planning Commission after graduating from Illinois State University.

A native of Rockford, he was hired by the city in 1986 to be its director of community development.



Tom Hamilton



Age: 52

Hometown: Rockford

Family: Wife, Darla; son, Philip

Education

Undergraduate at Illinois State University in geography and urban studies.

Graduate school at University of Illinois in urban planning.

Work Experience

1978 to 1986 – McLean County Regional Planning Commission

1986 to 1988 – Bloomington director of community development

1988 to 1993 – Bloomington assistant city manager

1993 to present – Bloomington city manager

Served under Mayors

Jesse Smart

Judy Markowitz

Steve Stockton

Source: Pantagraph archives

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Bloomington City Manager Tom Hamilton, left, and Bloomington Mayor Steve Stockton are seen here during the construction of the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in downtown Bloomington. (Pantagraph file photo)
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Reader comments on this story - 39 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

cityblm wrote on Jun 23, 2008 10:57 AM:

" t'would be nice if he took Jack Carroll with him...that would cut the operating budget down a peg... "

Truth and Justice wrote on Jun 16, 2008 10:42 AM:

" Look at the Coachman - It is symbolic of the leadership of Tom Hamilton. Please, please do an outside search! And I agree all those Council members who are quoted as saying he has done a good job need to go. And yes I do go to the Council meetings. "

Rational Humanist wrote on Jun 14, 2008 6:40 PM:

" Hoorah! And do not let the door hit him in the butt as he goes! As for any planning experience he or the council may claim for him , unregulated urban sprawl does not any development plans make. Since Bloomington has kept on growing despite Mr. Hamilton' strenuous efforts to stifle it, perhaps the Council will look at hiring someone who is NOT a VILLAGE manager at heart and in his outlook. "

BNHuman wrote on Jun 14, 2008 4:00 PM:

" Good Job? Police Dept admits it is short staffed. Building a fire dept we can not afford to staff. Roads is bad shape all over town. Sales Tax rate just went up to pay on a big loan. Told the residents the arena would be self sufficient. "

Lurg86 wrote on Jun 14, 2008 12:18 PM:

" This is been in the works for sometime. Hamilton knows his cohorts on the council are out on their ear next election and the first order of business for the new council would be to fire his butt. This is just a way of him going out on his own terms. As for ES you are entitled to your opinion but my pet rock would do a better job of managing the city than Hamilton. As for the others you mentioned go ahead and thank them if you want, I curse them because of their corrupt adminastrations and the debt they have put the taxpayers of this city in. "

Zeva wrote on Jun 14, 2008 11:19 AM:

" Doesn't this show you the mentality of some of the people here in Bloomngton? People can make comments but not to the point of being totally ignorant. I don't get it, some of my blogs have been deleted but the Pantagraph lets these go through. "

pseudo-intellectual wrote on Jun 14, 2008 10:59 AM:

" Life is good for too many of these bureaucrats. Besides leaving us with a $36 million albatross to pay off, this guy was paid $138,000/year so he could "retire" at age 52 with a generous settlement from this Munincipal Fund. Hamilton is free, of course, to seek another, perhaps even higher-paying job with another gullible community while we will go on paying even more for someone to lead us into ever-increasing piles of debt. "

wkndwrrior79 wrote on Jun 14, 2008 10:57 AM:

" GOOD!!! Now the city can save some money. I hope his replacement does a better job and doesnt get paid the same amount "

Venture Bros. wrote on Jun 14, 2008 9:18 AM:

" WE DONT NEED A CITY MANAGER ! Bloomington should return to an ELECTED Mayor-Council form of government. "

Li'l Johnny wrote on Jun 14, 2008 9:03 AM:

" I concur with the positive comments by ES and others. Tom Hamilton has done an overall excellent job as the City Manager. I don't and haven't agreed with him all the time, but overall he has been in large part responsible for many if not most of the positive changes to the City of Bloomington. Once again, all you negative commenters; have you been to a Council meeting, have you involved yourself in the political process? I doubt it, its much easier to hide and throw stones than it is to actually get involved. Tom Hamilton will be hard to replace! "

Charlemagne wrote on Jun 14, 2008 8:01 AM:

" He will be missed. He was great for the city. The nay sayers here are not an accurate sample of the community he helped so much. "

blackcatter wrote on Jun 14, 2008 12:18 AM:

" Am looking forward to seeing all the "City Experts" that post here complaining about everything apply for the position. I disagree with some of the things he's done, but I wouldn't want the job. "

ES wrote on Jun 13, 2008 10:34 PM:

" You people are whiney and silly. You complain about Judy, Jesse Smart, Stockton, Tom Hamilton, Koos, and so many other local political people. I have news for you, rather than complaining on the internet, why not run for an office or go out and DO something for the good of the community? You are so hypocritical in your angst and gossip. Oh, and most of you do not know a thing about how to run a city. Best of luck to you, Mr. Hamilton, as I appreciate your efforts. "

Bitter Academic wrote on Jun 13, 2008 10:19 PM:

" Okay Bloomingtonians, listen up. Look carefully at the aldermen who are quoted as praising this miserable failure of a manager, and be sure to vote them out of office. "

ilovethistown wrote on Jun 13, 2008 8:05 PM:

" okay now let's get a mayor in here who can shake things up! someone who has the guts to lead this town-- "

BNHuman wrote on Jun 13, 2008 8:00 PM:

" Good! Now council. How about we look ONLY outside the city. Someone with different experiences not just the "this is how we have always done it" "

BARLOW wrote on Jun 13, 2008 7:49 PM:

" Tom is the BEST thing to have ever happened to this city. Seeing him go brings a tear to my eye! He will be missed, and will be hard to replace! I wish him the best of luck with whatever he does! So thank you Tom, for all your hard work, and my hat goes off to you!! "

OGS wrote on Jun 13, 2008 6:44 PM:

" Good riddance! "

BJ wrote on Jun 13, 2008 6:22 PM:

" Good idea c.a.t.s. cause you know they will throw him a bash of a retirement party since there is so much love for him at city hall and none of us will be invited to it.

default - what kind of dream world are you living in?? Usually every time Tom opens his mouth he inserts his foot "

woo wrote on Jun 13, 2008 6:04 PM:

" Hey Tom, Your first good decision since you been there!! Dont let the door hit you in the butt!!! "

BigBrother wrote on Jun 13, 2008 6:02 PM:

" Good!!!!! The rubber stamp 5 is next on the list! "

c.a.t.s. wrote on Jun 13, 2008 5:34 PM:

" now this is good cause for stockton to throw a $12,000. party hell make it $24,000 put a keg on every corner of the square kick up the band lets make it an all-nighter "

BJ wrote on Jun 13, 2008 5:29 PM:

" Woo Hoo - what a way to end a week!!! This is the absolute BEST news I have heard all week!!! Can't the effective date be tomorrow??? "

default wrote on Jun 13, 2008 5:22 PM:

" Tom will be missed. He did, and does, a great job. He really knows his stuff. I don't care how many people disagree with me. Anyone who disagrees really doesn't know him. "

Kevin wrote on Jun 13, 2008 5:19 PM:

" HM, guess i'm the only one here who thought overall he did a pretty good job "

Govt oppressed Mule wrote on Jun 13, 2008 5:18 PM:

" THANK GOD!!! Now if only we can get Stockton to follow suit. "

Bull Fighter wrote on Jun 13, 2008 5:16 PM:

" City Manager Tom Hamilton has only managed to keep the city council divided on important issues. Hamilton was notorious for keeping the council uninformed about issues, such as the true cost of the downtown coliseum. Hamilton’s management style of divide-and-conquer may have allowed him to cling to power for so long, because he seemed to believe a divided council would never unite to remove him from power. Now Mayor Stockton has an opportunity to hire a new city manager that could unite the council around important issues, such as attracting new businesses and jobs to Bloomington. "

Ekim wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:44 PM:

" Good idea, cash in before they can fire you. Next Mayor and council will can him. "

Otown_boy wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:30 PM:

" ...and the peasants rejoice! "

c.a.t.s. wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:27 PM:

" what great news for the city of bloomington.. you knew your time was short there tommy boy finally your going to do something smart. now all you have to do is fess up and tell the people that you have lied to them.. "

the one wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:09 PM:

" Don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out!! "

mds1 wrote on Jun 13, 2008 4:00 PM:

" Another good ridance!!! "

muttonhead31 wrote on Jun 13, 2008 3:53 PM:

" he saw the writing on the wall. Good time to get a pension and get out of city government. "

Luther Billis wrote on Jun 13, 2008 3:29 PM:

" Can't say I blame him...I'd want out of that job, too. "

TwentyTwo wrote on Jun 13, 2008 3:17 PM:

" Cant wait...this will be a fun posting....go get em kitty kitties... "

Outspoken wrote on Jun 13, 2008 3:14 PM:

" Can someone say hip, hip hooray!! "

normal resident wrote on Jun 13, 2008 3:00 PM:

" Didn't they just give him a big raise not to long ago to stay? "

the wonderboy wrote on Jun 13, 2008 2:58 PM:

" They should wait to hire until after the election...no sense having Stockton and this Council hire someone when they may not be around after the hiring. "

Geez! wrote on Jun 13, 2008 2:51 PM:

" He would have stayed if Bloomington had an Uptown. ;-) "
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