Calling it a “great ride,” Oswego Village President Troy Parlier had some parting words at his last Village Board meeting as the village’s elected leader earlier this month.
Ryan Kauffman, a Democrat, defeated Parlier, a Republican, in the April 4 election for village president.
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The new village president and new Village Board members will be sworn-in Tuesday.
Parlier, an Oswego junior high school math and technology teacher, defeated incumbent Gail Johnson for village president in a three-way race in 2019.
He touted the village’s economic expansion and reduction of taxes in his second bid for election.
“I want to thank the board and staff. It’s been a great ride. It’s not really staff anymore but a bunch of my friends,” Parlier said at the meeting. “It’s been my pleasure and my honor working with you.”
In addition to the race for village president, three trustees were chosen in the April 4 election. Parlier ran on a slate with Republican Village Board candidates James Marter II and Terry Olson, both incumbents, and Jason Kapus, a member of the Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission.
Kauffman ran on a slate with Democratic Village Board candidates Karen McCarthy-Lange and Luis Perez, both former trustees, as well as newcomer Andrew Torres.
McCarthy-Lange, Perez and Torres were elected to serve on the Village Board April 4.
Trustee Tom Guist recognized the efforts of the mayor and outgoing trustees Marter, Olson and Brian Thomas. Thomas ran for village president in the February primary but was defeated by Parlier.
“You guys left the village with more progress in infrastructure, more staff, less taxes and in the best financial position. Thank you for the work,” Guist said.
Marter thanked the administration for the help over the past four years.
“Even though we are the ones making the decisions, we couldn’t have done most of the things without the help of you guys in the background,” Marter said. “The infrastructure is probably more than what has been done in a long time and the village’s financial position is the best it has ever been in and we turned around and reinvested in staff and reinvested in the community.”
Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo recognized the outgoing village president and trustees at the meeting.
“I want to thank you for your service on the Village Board and the working relationships we have had, in particular the accomplishments over the past four years,” Di Santo said, noting the many infrastructure projects underway in the village.
The projects include preparations to connect to Lake Michigan as a future water source and improvements to Wolf’s Crossing Road, he said.
Di Santo said construction is underway on the first phase of Wolf’s Crossing Road at Harvey Road.
Di Santo said the village’s 2024 budget has a surplus and the capital improvement plan includes proposed improvements to the Wolf’s Crossing westbound left-turn lane and underground utility work.
“It’s a budget that funds additional staff including a 54th police officer. That would bring the village to a level that we have never been at,” Di Santo said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.