After serving as an administrator in the village of Wilmette for nearly three decades, Village Manager Tim Frenzer has announced plans to retire in early 2020.
Frenzer began his career in Wilmette in 1993, when he was hired as the village attorney, known as its corporation counsel, a role he performed for 15 years until he was named interim village manager.
By July 2009, at the height of the recent recession, the village board voted unanimously to appoint Frenzer as village manager.
“When I was hired as village manager, we were facing a crisis for the organization and its municipal revenues, which was a tremendous challenge,” Frenzer said.
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Frenzer said he and his fellow staff members worked alongside elected officials to secure the village’s finances and reduce expenses, while ensuring village services for residents would not be impacted by the economic downturn.
“It was a very serious situation, but everyone pulled together and we all worked very hard,” Frenzer said.
During his 27 years with the village, Frenzer was instrumental in launching initiatives including: the Village Center Master Plan; the revitalization of the village’s downtown; the modernization of its solid waste and recycling collection; and a slate of infrastructure projects, including the West Park Sanitary Storage Facility project.
Frenzer also helped negotiate several new wholesale water contracts with other municipalities that he said generate new revenue for the village, while holding down water rates for Wilmette.
Wilmette Village President Bob Bielinski said in a statement that he and the village board appreciate Frenzer’s “many years of dedicated service.”
“Tim took over as village manager during very challenging economic times,” Bielinski said, adding: “His steady and thoughtful leadership stabilized and then improved the village’s finances, and has contributed to new economic development and improved resident services.”
Frenzer, whose 2019 salary is $238,628, said he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, as well as exploring other professional opportunities upon his retirement on Feb. 14, 2020.
The village board has begun the process of naming a new village manager, Bielinski said.
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