Cook's Last Day as Hinsdale Village Manager Arrives

After 23 years of service, Friday is village manager David Cook’s last day working in Hinsdale.

Village clerk Christine Bruton has worked under Cook for eight years. She said she and the rest of the staff have had about a month to process Cook’s departure, and it has been an “emotional progression” as they’ve watched him empty his office, item by item.

“Monday will be kind of weird,” Bruton said.

She called Cook “a great boss” who was great to work with.

“He’s just a pleasure to be around. Very professional, kind, courteous, everything—he’s wonderful,” Bruton said.

Cook commended his staff at his final board of trustees meeting last week, and discussed the difficulty of his departure when he first announced it in May.

“When you go to work with the same people every day in the same office, they become your family,” Cook said. “It’s as tough on them as it is on me to leave.”

The decision to move on and become the executive director of the Intergovernmental Personnel and Benefits Cooperative (IPBC) came after the village manager and board of trustees could not come to an agreement on a contract extension. Cook, 56, said he had pictured himself working three or four more years in Hinsdale and then retiring.

“It didn’t happen,” he said. “I’m a strong believer in fate and I’m very happy with where I’m going to be.”

When asked about a legacy, Cook said he’s proud of his track record of obtaining grant money for village projects. He estimated he’s brought in about $24 million worth of grant money.

“I think the village is operating smoother than it has in many years financially,” Cook said.

Assistant village manager and finance director Darrell Langlois agreed. 

“He’s done a lot of really good work in terms of grants,” Langlois said. “His approach to doing that, I’ve learned a lot from.”

Langlois has known Cook since 1993 when the former began working for the Village of Oak Brook. He said that Cook's knowledge of Hinsdale and remarkable memory of the events of his years here will be difficult to replace. 

"Without having that to lean on is something that’ll take quite awhile to get used to," Langlois said. 

Bruton noted Cook's abilities as a public servant.

“I think he was very respectful of residents concerns,” the clerk said. “His door was always open. I think he tried really hard whenever possible to solve problems.”

While Cook described his departure as “bittersweet,” he’s excited to move to a part-time role with the IPBC that will give him the chance to focus more on his private life and travel.

“There comes a point in life when it’s time to open new doors and take new challenges,” he said.

But that doesn’t mean Cook’s time in Hinsdale is completely over. His new job with will require him to work with municipal governments.

“I fully expect him to stop in,” Bruton said.