In Memory of Willam S. Kaplan
With sadness I announce the passing of our former Mayor William S. Kaplan. Mayor Kaplan was my Mayor, my neighbor and my friend. He engaged both my husband Michael and me in public service for which we are grateful. Below I would like to share some of what our Village Attorney voiced in our last Board meeting.
Mayor Kris Ford
Bill Kaplan – A Personal Note
I had the good fortune and privilege to serve as Village Attorney in Riverwoods under Mayor Kaplan from 2000 until his last term ended in 2013. We faced the usual tensions of sorting out policy issues in the Village, disagreements among Board members, sometimes spirited arguments. Looking back, I recall important achievements, some contentious and emotional, and another, visibly important to the safety of our community - specifically, the organization of our own Police Department.
During Bill’s tenure, the Village faced increasing costs of police services, and it was under his leadership that the Village organized its own police department.
Other actions which Bill initiated were contentious and emotional: the extension of municipal water and the Woodland Protection Ordinance.
In the early 2000’s, the Village proposed special service areas to bring Lake Michigan water to areas with wells. Today, more than 2/3rds of the Village has access to Lake Michigan water. It is perhaps not remembered that the hearings at the time were full of acrimony and challenges to the need for these services. Bill never relented in his advocacy for the advantages that would accrue to the Village, and the opposition was overcome.
In same period, as the Village’s commitment to environmental stewardship increased, there were proposals offered to limit the size of new homes as a means of protecting our woodlands. As a real estate broker, Bill felt that size restrictions would be harmful and not effective for this purpose. Instead, we developed a model of protecting the woodlands by restricting the percentage of woodland which could be removed from any lot. A Village town meeting took place. The highly charged debate concerned the rights of property owners and possible overreach by the Village. It was under Bill’s leadership that the first version of our Woodland Protection Ordinance was crafted and adopted by the Board of Trustees. It was a unique and bold experiment and now considered a model for other communities. Although there was opposition, Bill never wavered in his support.
I could go on with these examples but their underlying narrative is the same: Bill had important core values and he fought for them. He did not shy away from difficult issues. He understood that the Village was a family business: everyone had something to contribute.
Perhaps to some, he relished the fight. But Bill was of the generation that conceived of a common good. His conception might be different than yours but he waged the battles for the common good. He cared deeply about Riverwoods and the world he wanted to leave behind.
These reminiscences offer a window into his public role. My day to day interaction was with the private man, who was extremely loyal, kind and funny. How he fused his personal values into an ethic of public service should be an inspiration to us all.
Bruce K. Huvard
March 20, 2024
