Terry Burns, who was a Paddock Lake elected official for 17 years — most of those as president — gave some final comments from the chairman’s seat at Wednesday’s Village Board committee of the whole meeting.
Burns resigned his seat late last month after deciding he needed to lessen stress in his life for medical reasons. Burns had a medical event that kept him in a coma for weeks last fall.
“It was kind of my wake-up call to say I was pushing myself too hard,” Burns said Wednesday, which should be his last as village president.
Burns said he enjoyed being an elected village official and will find it hard to step down.
“I really enjoyed working here … it really is a bittersweet parting, it really is,” Burns said. “I will miss the place.”
To village residents and staff Burns said “Thank you for putting up with me for 17 years.”
But maybe Burns won’t be gone completely from Village Hall. He said he would be open to an appointment to the Planning Commission, which reviews development proposals.
Burns said he would be interested in that post because of its role in overseeing development.
“I don’t want this village to look like some other municipalities in southeast Wisconsin that just let everything go,” Burns said.
Here is video of Burns comments, along with some comments by village administrator Tim Popanda:
The president’s role will likely be filled on a pro tempore basis by a trustee, with the seat ultimately filled by election next April, Popanda said. That means the Village Board will effectively have six members after the two currently vacant trustee seats are filled, until next April.
