Manhattan Mayor Doyle Announces Retirement

MANHATTAN, IL — Manhattan Mayor James Doyle will retire at the end of his current term in April, he announced during Tuesday's village board meeting. According to a news release from the Village of Manhattan, Doyle will have completed an estimated 43 years in public service, with nearly 28 of those spent on and off serving as Village Mayor. According to the village, Doyle comes from a long history of family members who have either served in public office or have been involved in the village since the early 1900s.

“According to my math, that puts me somewhere around 43 years in public service. Who would have imagined it would last that long,” Doyle said, according to the news release. “Through the years there have been ups and downs, but we accomplished a great deal, and we all have much to be proud of.”

Doyle began his public service in 1977 volunteering with the Manhattan Fire Protection District, and stayed with this position for 20 years, the news release said.

Manhattan is the third safest city in Illinois and ranks 94 out of 100 in the United States, according to the news release, adding that Doyle credits that to the desire of residents to maintain Manhattan as a family-friendly community.

“We are a small community and as mayor, my job was to continue as the caretaker to ensure we stayed that way,” Doyle said, according to the news release.

The village said Doyle had many accomplishments during his tenure, including:

• Passing the referendum to become Home Rule in 1996;
• Expanding and rehabbing the village’s sewer plant in 2004;
• Replacing nearly all water mains in the village;
• Overseeing the expansion of residential growth in the past 20 years; and
• Ensuring Manhattan finances were spent prudently; namely, a reserve for 5‐6 months to keep Manhattan operating and in great financial shape.

During the meeting, Doyle also thanked his past and current village boards along with his staff for their dedication, confidence in him and commitment to his vision and goals, the news release said.

“None of this would have been possible if not for the hard work of everyone involved,” Doyle said.

According to the news release, Doyle also thanked his wife Peggy and his entire extended family for their support and patience over the years.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve the residents of Manhattan for this long and I want to
thank everyone of them for electing me to lead this community. Manhattan is a special place and will always remain my home...it’s been an amazing journey,” Doyle added.

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According to a news release from the village, petitions for candidacy for mayor, board of trustee (3) and village clerk must be filed with the Village of Manhattan Clerk's Office between Dec. 14 and Dec. 21 during normal business hours — 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Terms:

• Mayor - 4 years
• Board of Trustee (all three spots up for election) - 4 Years
• Village Clerk - 4 years

>> More information on other qualifications and topics of review