.png)
Veteran city employee steps in as Elgin looks for long-term solution
City Council moved swiftly Dec. 3 to address its new gap in leadership, appointing long-time city employee Beau Perry as acting city manager after last month’s decision to release Tom Mattis from the role.
The council spent about fifty minutes in executive session before emerging to unanimously approve Perry’s appointment, a move Mayor Theresa McShan said was critical to maintaining city operations.
“And to answer any questions of why we chose an ‘acting,’ it’s because we are actively going to be looking for an interim — but in the meantime, we can’t just leave the city hanging,” McShan said. Perry has most recently been serving as the city’s interim development services director and has more than two decades of experience working for Elgin.
“Mr. Perry has been with Elgin city for well over 20 years and has the background, has the knowledge, so that we can continue doing our regular business until we can get an interim,” McShan added.
Perry, whose tenure as acting city manager is effective immediately, stated his dedication to ensuring a smooth transition.
“As standing city manager, I am committed to trying to ensure operations remain consistent for the city and supporting city staff, especially during the holidays,” he said.
Emphasizing the temporary nature of the appointment, the mayor reiterated the city’s commitment to finding a permanent replacement through a thorough nationwide search process.
“We are going to be looking for an interim city manager, and at the same time, we are going to have a nationwide search for a new city manager. We won’t waste time and will make sure that we get the best that we possibly can get,” she said, assuring transparency and community involvement in the selection process. “Be rest assured, we are considering all input and actions to make for sure we get the right [city manager].”
During the public comment period, before the decision was made, one resident expressed concerns about appointing someone with ties to the previous city manager’s administration, favoring the search for external candidates.
“I understand it’s a tough time. We don’t have a city finance manager or city manager right now, but please let’s look outside the box,” the speaker said, suggesting that hiring from within could perpetuate past issues.
Mattis’s release was tied to an undisclosed human relations matter, according to city officials, though no further details have been provided.
Council members assured residents that updates would be shared as the search progresses, with both staff and public input informing the decision.
