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New Member of Macomb City Council

Rich Egger

Macomb aldermen approved the appointment of Millie Gilbert to represent the third ward.

She replaces her husband Lou, who passed away in late May.

Millie Gilbert drove her husband to city council meetings for about a year and sat in on the meetings so she feels prepared to serve.

“I kind of know what’s going on. I pay attention to what’s going on and I answered the calls a lot of times for my husband for when people had called to complain about different things,” Gilbert said.

Gilbert’s term expires in the spring. She has not decided whether to run in next year’s election.

Former Alderman Honored

Also during Monday’s meeting, the city council held a moment of silence for John Conrad. He passed away Sunday, July 6. He was 77.

Conrad served on the city council from 1984 to 1999.

“John was a very good friend and something of a mentor to me when I first came on the council in 1997,” said Fourth Ward Alderman Dave Dorsett.

“He was a great public servant and he was very good to his adopted home town. I would like to see more people like that and he will be sorely missed.”

In addition to his time on the city council, Conrad served as chair of the Macomb Fire and Police Commission from 1976 to 1984.

Mayor Mike Inman called Conrad “an outstanding citizen.”

Conrad worked at Western Illinois University from 1967 to 1999.  He co-founded the Department of Law Enforcement Administration in 1969. He served as the department’s chair from its founding until he retired.  During those years it evolved into a nationally recognized program.

Visitation for Conrad will be held Wednesday, July 9, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm at St. Paul Church in Macomb.

A funeral mass will begin at 10:00 am Thursday, July 10, at the church.

A complete obituary and guest book can be found on the Dodsworth-Piper-Wallen Funeral Home website.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.