Village board appoints Colin Gilbert to fill trustee vacancy

Trustee Schwingbeck moved and Trustee Lebeds seconded to concur with the mayor’s appointment of Colin Gilbert to the Arlington Heights Village Board for a term ending May 3, 2027; the board approved the motion by roll call vote.

The appointment took place at the start of the Oct. 6 village board meeting. After the roll call returned unanimous support, Gilbert took the oath of office and addressed the audience, thanking the board and encouraging local students and residents to consider public service.

Why it matters: The appointment fills a vacancy left by a recent resignation and brings an attorney with local business experience onto the board. The board framed the appointment as a routine personnel matter that emerged from a Committee of the Whole recommendation earlier the same evening.

Board action and discussion: Trustee Schwingbeck made the motion "to concur in the mayor's appointment of Colin Gilbert to the village board with a term ending 05/03/2027." Trustee Lebeds seconded. The mayor called the roll; the named trustees and the president voted in the affirmative and the motion carried.

Colin Gilbert’s remarks: After taking the oath, Gilbert told the audience he was “overflowing” with gratitude and urged young people to consider participating in local government, describing trustees as "volunteer" neighbors invested in the community.

Context: The board said the Committee of the Whole had unanimously recommended the appointment earlier that evening. The board administered the oath and welcomed Gilbert to the dais; there was no separate substantive debate recorded on policy tied to the appointment.

Ending: The board moved from the appointment into routine business including minutes and financial approvals later in the meeting.