Throughout the past few years, Hinsdale Village Board meetings could be easily described as often volatile, contentious and acrimonious.

The failed Hinsdale Club development, the proposed Garfield development and a handful of lawsuits brought out the worst in public board member exchanges.

But can a recently reconfigured board, with new Village President Tom Cauley and four new trustees, provide a culture change and begin to display a characteristic repeated in campaign rhetoric prior to the April election — civility?

“I am pleased with the way it has gone so far, although I expect to continue to see some 4-to-2 votes in the future, maybe not the same people voting the same all the time (as in the past),” Cauley said. “But I think we have worked well together, initially.

During a June 2 board meeting, there were sharp exchanges between trustees regarding Cauley’s recommendation of appointing Jerry Hughes to the village’s Finance Commission punctuated the meeting.

The vote was 4-2 in favor of the appointment of five residents to four separate commissions.

Trustees Bob Schultz and Cindy Williams voted against Cauley’s recommendations.
Schultz and Williams both wanted to pull the Hughes appointment off the agenda for separate consideration — they said they favored the other appointments being considered — but the board voted in favor of all appointments at one time.

Shortly after the vote, the board then agreed to table Cauley’s recommendation to realign the village’s Economic Development Commission so it reports directly to the board.

Calm discussion among board members resulted in the item being postponed for further review.

“Every issue cannot have total agreement by every board member, and that isn’t always good to have that anyway,” Cauley said. “You cannot have consensus on every issue. But I think you will see a more cohesive board in the future,”

Former village president Michael Woerner said time will tell whether or not the board can develop a cohesiveness it seemed to lack during the last two years.

“My first two years as president, we all seemed to vote unanimously on everything,” Woerner said. “Then about two years ago it seemed to change.”

Woerner said it is still too early with the new board to tell.

“I have been out of the mainstream the last few months but watched the last (June 2) meeting, and would not classify that meeting it as a civil meeting,” Woerner said, citing the debate regarding the Hughes appointment. “Still, I hope the board does become more civil, although I am not sure you necessarily have to be civil to be effective.

“I don’t think the last meeting is a reflection on Tom’s leadership,” Woerner said.

A president’s job is to provide leadership and vision, but the most important task facing Cauley might be the issue that brought the sharpest criticism from Schultz at the June 2 meeting — appointments to commissions.

Schultz said Hughes was qualified, but was not a good fit for the Finance Commission, warning the appointment could lead to resignations from the commission.
Cauley and Trustee Doug Geoga said the financial background Hughes brings to the commission cannot be overlooked.

“When it comes to appointments, my goal is to get the brightest, most talented people to serve on commissions and committees in order to generate the best dialogue and ideas,” Cauley said. “The commission level is when you want discussion, and maybe some dissent.

“It isn’t necessary that an entire commission agrees every time, otherwise that is like having a commission of one. The committee level is where there should be some discourse, some disagreement.”

Cauley, who only votes in order to break potential ties, said making appointments is “the one way I can have a direct impact” on village government.

Schultz, despite his denouncement of the Hughes appointment, said he thinks the board is working better together than in past years.

“I think it has been less abrasive since the changeover,” Schultz said. “Civility is a must, although civility and consensus do not necessarily go hand in hand.

“What is important is finding the right manner in which to disagree, and not lose civility with each other.”