Former Hampshire Trustee Rob Whaley and Plan Commission Chairman Jack Gray both recently announced that they are leaving their positions and moving out of state.
Whaley served as a village trustee for the past five years and chaired the village’s finance committee. Prior to his time on the village board, he served for six years as Hampshire Township Park District commissioner and one year as its board president.
“I have enjoyed my time here in Hampshire,” Whaley said during the village board meeting on Thursday. “I am resigning tonight and moving with my family to Michigan where I will be working for General Motors. Hopefully our paths will cross again in the future.”
“It’s been a pleasure to serve with you,” said Village President Jeffrey Magnussen. “You have shown good leadership and improved the village’s finance department. You kept us focused. Good luck with your new job.”
Gray joined the village plan commission in 1992 and became its chairman in 1994, a position he will continue to hold until Oct. 1.
He has also served as a Hampshire Township trustee for four years and as president of the Hampshire Fire Protection District for nine years.
In addition to his public service, Gray worked as the superintendent of building and fleet operations for the Village of Elk Grove for 34 years.
Gray said that one of his greatest accomplishments while serving as plan commission president was working toward the establishment of a public school campus on the 119 acres of the former Tamms farm.
The elementary school at 1500 Ketchum Road, which opened in 2007, was named after Gary D. Wright, who retired after serving as principal of Hampshire Elementary School for 19 years. Hampshire High School, 1600 Big Timber Road, opened in 2008.
During the time of big residential construction in Hampshire before the recession hit, Gray said there were concept plans for four huge sections of the Crown Development that were being proposed by different developers. Instead of having four different public schools built and spread out over the four sections, the commission worked to pull resources together in order to create the current high school/elementary school campus.
“It was an exciting and challenging time,” Gray said. “I have a high level of satisfaction with the commission over the years. We have an awesome group of commissioners.”
Gray said that he has been a Hampshire resident for the past 29 years. When he retires, he and his wife, Laura, will be moving to Florida.
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Whaley’s second term as trustee would have ended in May, 2019. Magnussen said that the village board will discuss filling the trustee opening and the opening on the commission during its next regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 17.
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.