BY DAVE PARRO
After almost two years with a "temporary" chief of staff, Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner on Wednesday announced his replacement for the outgoing Bob Vaughan. Bill Wiet, who has been Aurora's community development director for eight years and has worked with the city for a total of 15 years, will step into the role Monday.
Wiet's a safe choice who won't cause the kind of controversy Vaughan did when he was hired as a consultant through a temp service so he could still collect his Park District pension while pulling in a city salary of $85K. But he's also a solid choice.
While the Vaughan hiring was questionable because it involved a public official double dipping (see Beacon archives), Wiet won't raise many eyebrows. He has proved himself a capable department head who prides himself on internal and external communication, and he has a long record of public service with no aspirations for higher office.
Wiet has been able to stay out of the political spotlight, but that will change with his new position. The one downside to his promotion is that the city could lose a devoted, long-time employee to politics if Weisner loses or doesn't run for re-election in 2009.
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