Tom Weisner facts for kids

Tom Weisner (October 6, 1949 – December 28, 2018) was an American politician. He served as the mayor of Aurora, Illinois, starting in April 2005. Before becoming mayor, he worked for the city of Aurora for over eighteen years. He also spent five years helping people as a volunteer with the Peace Corps.

Weisner was re-elected twice, in 2009 and 2013. He served as mayor until he resigned on October 30, 2016. He stepped down because of his health. He had been diagnosed with cancer early in his time as mayor. He passed away from cancer-related issues on December 28, 2018.

About Tom Weisner

Tom Weisner was born in Batavia, Illinois. He moved to Aurora thirty years before he decided to run for mayor. He was married to Marilyn Hogan Weisner since 1972. They had two sons, Thaddeus and Anthony. Tom Weisner earned his college degree from Aurora University.

Early Career and Peace Corps Work

Before working for the city of Aurora in 1986, Weisner worked in private companies. He also spent five years in the Solomon Islands. There, he provided medical help and other support to local people. He did this as part of the Peace Corps and the International Human Assistance Program. He and his wife lived in rain forests on the Island of Guadalcanal.

Working for the City of Aurora

Weisner held several important jobs in Aurora before becoming mayor. He started as an emergency service coordinator in 1986. By 1987, he became the superintendent of the Department of Motor Vehicles. He later became the director of equipment services. In 1991, he was named director of public property.

In 1999, he became Aurora's director of community services. This was his last job before he ran for mayor. He left this position in February 2004.

Becoming Mayor of Aurora

In November 2002, the mayor at the time, David Stover, announced he would not run again. In May 2003, Tom Weisner announced he would run for mayor. He announced his plan almost two years before the election. This helped him gain strong support early on.

The Mayoral Election

The election for mayor in 2005 was the first in twenty years without a mayor already in office running again. Weisner was a Democrat. He received 60% of the votes in the first election round. Richard Irvin, a Republican, came in second with 33%. Both moved on to the final election.

Weisner won eight of the city's ten areas. He also won nearly two-thirds of the voting districts. Barack Obama, who was a U.S. Senator at the time, supported Weisner. After the final votes were counted, Weisner won the election. He took the oath of office on April 26, 2005.

Tom Weisner's Time as Mayor

As mayor, Tom Weisner worked on several important projects. He once considered a rule about holiday decorations. This was after people complained about Christmas decorations being up in the summer. He also thought about a strong rule to protect people who report wrongdoing in the city.

Wireless Internet for the City

One of Weisner's big goals was to make Aurora the first city in Illinois with a full wireless Internet system. In 2008, the company installing the Wi-Fi network changed its business plan. It stopped building the network. Later that year, the company completely shut down its Wi-Fi operations across the country.

Re-election Campaigns

In May 2008, Weisner announced he would run for re-election. He was re-elected on April 7, 2009. He ran again in 2013 and was re-elected without anyone running against him. On May 8, 2015, Weisner announced he would not seek a fourth term as mayor.

Resignation and Passing

Tom Weisner was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2007. On August 25, 2016, Weisner announced he would step down as mayor. His last day was October 30, 2016. He said his health and cancer treatment were the main reasons for his decision. Alderman Bob O'Connor took over as mayor after him.

Tom Weisner passed away from cancer-related issues on December 28, 2018. He was 69 years old.

See also

In Spanish: Tom Weisner para niños