URBANA – Mike Bily, who has been Urbana's police chief for a little more than four years, will retire from the post on Sept. 22. That's also his 50th birthday.

Meanwhile, Patrick Connolly, now the department's assistant chief, is expected to be appointed to succeed Bily. Connolly's nomination will be considered next Monday at a special 7 p.m. city council meeting.

Bily was named police chief in April 2006, succeeding Eddie Adair. Bily had been assistant chief since July 2004 and has been a member of the Urbana police force since 1984.

Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing was unavailable for comment Tuesday. But her chief of staff, Mike Monson, called Bily "an outstanding chief."

"I think our crime rate has declined the last five years. It's down about 33 percent, cumulatively. He's well re- spected. He's excellent with the public and is a good administrator.

"He's a team player. When we were coping with the budget cuts last year, he left some positions vacant for several months to help us get through. He really is a top-notch guy."

Under Bily, the city started a citizen's police review board that was handled "seamlessly," Monson said.

"He's going to be hard to replace. I think he's the best police chief either city has seen in my tenure," said Monson, who was a News-Gazette reporter for 22 years before going to work for the city last summer.

A retirement reception for Bily will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 22 at the City Building, 400 S. Vine St.