After Long Service to the City, Outgoing Councilman Eilert Gets His Own Day

John Eilert stepped down as a councilman for Ward 4 in La Grange at the city council meeting Tuesday night, May 26. He had served in that position for 12 years. The City Council took the opportunity to proclaim that day as John Eilert Day in La Grange.

Eilert joined the Council on Aug. 13, 2007, taking the place of former councilman Ed Krivacka.

“At the time, Mr. Krivacka had some medical problems in his family and didn’t have the time to devote,” Eilert recalled. “So I applied and was chosen to be on the Council. I’ve been re-elected and have served ever since.”

Before joining the Council, Eilert served over two decades as a La Grange firefighter. For most of that time, he and his family lived in the fire station (now Casino Hall), where his duties included answering late-night fire calls on the telephone.

“I was in the fire department a little over 20 years, and for about three-quarters of that I lived in the fire station,” Eilert said. “It was the time of my life. We went out and helped a lot of people.”

Eilert said some of the city projects he was most proud to be a part of included the renovation of his old home, Casino Hall, installing the city’s splash pad on Pearl Street and the renovation of Randolph Rec Center.

“The hardest part was surviving Hurricane Harvey and getting through all the aftereffects of Harvey,” Eilert said. “Luckily, we have a very, very good staff.

“We have a lot of good people working for the City,” Eilert added. “It makes it easy when you have good people around you.”

When asked what he plans to do on Monday nights twice a month now that he no longer has to attend Council meeting, Eilert responded, “Oh, you know, probably nothing.”

“I’ll probably still go down there every once and a while to see how things are going,” he added.

Quenten Gonzalez was sworn-in as Eilert’s replacement over the phone during the Tuesday night teleconference meeting.

“I think Mr. Gonzalez is going to step in and do a fine job,” Eilert said. “He seems rather knowledgeable and interested in putting the City first. That’s what it’s all about. I talked to him earlier and told him, ‘Make sure that no matter how you vote, you vote for what’s best for the City.’ I think that’s what he plans to do and he’s going to be a fine replacement.”