The best-laid plans
Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough, right, reads a proclamation honoring William Krause. Photo by Denny Wendell
Westlake planner retires after 30 years serving city
The City of Westlake recently said goodbye to one of the architects of its metamorphosis, as longtime assistant planning director William Krause headed into retirement.
During his 30 years at City Hall, Will played an integral role in helping to guide Westlake’s transformation from a sleepy farming community to a bustling suburban destination.
As readers of his “Digging Dover” column in the Observer know, Will has a passion for history, interest in architecture and attention to detail – qualities that served him well in the Planning Department and left an indelible mark on the landscape of Westlake today.
“Anytime someone leaves the city of Westlake, it’s bittersweet because of the fact that someone who’s put in so much time, effort and dedication in serving the public and serving the administration, and has done it well, it’s always going to be a loss,” said Mayor Dennis Clough during the June 26 retirement ceremony on the plaza outside City Hall. “And Will fits right up there at the top.”
Will graduated summa cum laude from Cleveland State University in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in urban studies. He was accepted to several graduate schools for architecture and historical preservation, but didn’t matriculate because he struggled with calculus. That setback has since become a minor footnote in a successful career – albeit one that Will added for comedic effect in the bio he sent to the mayor’s office for the proclamation Mayor Clough presented on his final day.
“You wouldn’t know that [he had trouble with calculus] when he’s so detail-oriented with the sign ordinances in the city of Westlake,” Clough joked. Will’s work in updating the sign code in 1997 earned him the nickname “sign guru.”
At the ceremony Will recalled a bit of unwanted national attention attracted by the “sign guru” moniker, when conservative talk show host Glenn Beck called him a communist because of the code restriction that limited the size of flags at car dealerships.
Over the course of three decades, Will has seen more ups than downs, and a few funny moments – like a phone call he fielded on his first day.
“I took a very odd phone call and had to go tell the mayor – who I’d only met once – that the Westlake post office was calling and they were upset because his brother had an order of baby chicks delivered to the post office that were dying of thirst,” Will recalled, adding: “We still had an agricultural feeling back then.”
When he was hired by former Planning Director Robert Parry in 1989, all of the city’s departments were in the old city hall. Will had a windowless office in the former police shooting range. The Senior Services Department held card parties in the hall just outside his door.
Westlake was embarking on its growth spurt and Planning Commission meetings sometimes lasted until 1:00 a.m. Over the years, Will spent many thousands of hours in meetings for Planning Commission, City Council and others.
The city’s development really peaked with the construction of Crocker Park, which Will called the highlight of his planning career. He also took great pride in working on the city’s bicentennial celebration in 2011.
After Robert Parry retired seven years ago, Will was paired with new Planning Director Jim Bedell, and the two quickly developed a close working relationship.
“As a certified planner he is the embodiment of our code of ethics and what we stand for as planners, the first being our responsibility to the public,” Bedell said. “Will has always served the public interest, putting our citizens first and working tirelessly to make sure that their concerns have been addressed. Will has dutifully served the city with diligence, creativity and competence, working tirelessly, always going the extra mile and never complaining about the workload.”
In his free time, Will has served on the Bay Village Planning Commission, as historian for the Westlake Historical Society, trustee of the Bay Village Historical Society, chair of the Lilly Weston Committee, and trustee for the Western Reserve Architectural Historians.
Will plans to continue writing his Observer column, and perhaps a few books, as well as spending time in retirement with his wife of 39 years, Deb, their children Katie, Will and Anne, and four grandchildren.