Guest Author: Kirk Millisor
After serving four terms serving as the mayor of Prospect, Jim Millisor is ready to ride off into the sunset – literally. The avid cyclist has racked up nearly 7,000 miles this year, including around the village, where he met frequently with local residents.
Prospect Accomplishments
During his tenure, Millisor took on a plethora of village enhancement projects, including relocating of the village office and construction of the new maintenance building on the site of the former elementary school. The village council kept what was salvageable from the property, including the modular building, where village meetings are now held.
In the most recent renovation to the property, the village erected new basketball hoops and resurfaced the outdated basketball court to use the space for the community’s benefit.
Prospect Village Administrator Ken Blue said, “I have worked with Jim for the duration of his 36 years of elected service in the community. He has always promoted a safe and clean community, working with law enforcement and fire and emergency services to make Prospect a better place to live. He has initiated and supported many local projects during his service.”
Blue pointed to the Dilapidated Building Project, construction of the village maintenance building and Dollar General Store. He also praised Millisor for procuring grants for sidewalks and railroad crossing gates, upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant including the solar power field, the Idelman Ditch and Water Street Storm Sewer projects.
The colleague also praised Millisor’s leadership for establishing leaf pickup and securing the full-time presence of a Marion County Sheriff’s deputy. During Millisor’s tenure, the village added an emergency robocall system and re-established Tree City USA project and recycling program.
Prior to being mayor, Millisor served as a village councilman for 20-year term, including five years as president and ten years on the finance committee. Millisor also served on the Battle Run Fire District board for four years.
“Jim has always supported our employees and their well-being, both as a council member and as mayor,” Blue said. “Jim and I have worked exceptionally well together over the years; in fact, I can’t recall a serious disagreement.”
Coaching and Mentoring
During his time in office, the 1970s Spartan State Football Champion translated his love for football into coaching youth sports. Millisor supported Elgin Athletics during his 25-year coaching career, where he served as volunteer, assistant and head coaching positions for a variety of ages and sports.
Former Elgin Middle School Principal Brian Napper said, “It was always about the kids and never about him. I knew I could call him anytime if I couldn’t get a coaching spot filled, whether it was football, basketball or track.”
Napper noted his willingness to be a mentor, especially to kids in tough circumstances. This sentiment was echoed by Elgin’s head football coach Zack Winslow, who transferred to Elgin late during his seventh-grade football season.
“It was not a good time in my life, and [Coach Millisor] let me on the team,” Winslow said.
Coach Millisor took Winslow to and from practice. Winslow describes Millisor as a “role model, confidant, and father figure, as he was to so many.”
Winslow noted that Millisor was “on [him] about grades and doing well in class.”
Winslow said how Millisor would check in with Winslow across years, even after Winslow graduated from high school.
Kirk Millisor, Jim’s son, said, “On behalf of your family, friends, players, colleagues, fellow residents of Prospect and the Elgin School District—thank you for your contributions to the community. Your countless hours in elected office and coaching have not gone unnoticed, and your sphere of influence is immeasurable. A few bore witnesses here, but certainly many others would attest to the difference that you’ve made in their lives and your community—a community that recognizes your service and goodwill to the village of Prospect and surrounding areas. Thank you for the example you’ve set, Dad.”
Additional MarionMade! stories about Prospect:
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