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THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 THURSDAY, MAY 6,2021 2021 THURSDAY, DEC. 30, THURSDAY, MAY 27, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021
Divided board votes 4-3 during special meeting to terminate village manager’s contract Decision ends Keehner’s tenure of over 10 years; separate 4-3 vote places Keehner on paid administrative leave for 60 days; Special meeting takes place without village attorney
STAFF REPORT
By a 4-3 vote, Villa Park Village Board members voted during last week’s special meeting to terminate the employment contract of Village Manager Richard Keehner, without cause. The decision to terminate Keehner’s contract leaves the village board searching for Keehner’s successor, as well as an interim manager CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Villa Park Review who will serve until the board locates The Villa Park Village Board voted during a Dec. 20 special meeting and hires a permanent replacement. to terminate the employment contract of Villa Park Village Manager Keehner had been Villa Park’s vilRichard Keehner. Board members voted 4-3 in favor of terminating lage manager for more than a decade, the contract. Keehner, who did not attend the meeting, had been Villa since April 2011. Park’s village manager for more than 10 years. Board members also The board also voted 4-3 during voted 4-3 to place Keehner on paid administrative leave for 60 days. its Dec. 20 special meeting to apThe board tabled a motion to retain a search firm to assist in finding Keehner’s contract calls for the election to a second term as a trustee, Keehner’s successor. The board also tabled a motion to retain speprove a motion placing Keehner on paid administrative leave during the village to pay him 20 weeks total finished fourth. cial legislative counsel to assist with the transition to a new village Keehner signed his latest contract manager. One photo (top left) from the meeting shows Trustee Jack 60 days prior written notice period, compensation if his employment with the village a few weeks after Kozar, who joined three other trustees (Jack Corkery, Deepa Kumar as specified in his employment con- contract is terminated early. Corkery, Kozar and Kumar were the election of April 6, and about and Kevin Patrick) to vote in favor of terminating Keehner’s contract. tract. Four village trustees—Jack Cork- all elected to the village board earlier two weeks before the newly elected Those four trustees initiated last week’s special meeting. Another ery, Jack Kozar, Deepa Kumar and this year. They were elected to four- board members were sworn in to of- photo (above) from the meeting shows Villa Park Village President Kevin Patrick—voted to terminate year terms on the board in the elec- fice during the May 10 meeting. Nick Cuzzone, who joined Trustee David Cilella and Trustee Christine CHRIS FOXcontract. PHOTO Villa Park Review Villa Park Village President Nick Murphy in opposing the termination of Keehner’s Keehner’s contract with the village. tion of April 6, 2021. A total of six lowbrook from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Freshman Rugg of the Willowbrook is pictured while candidates ran in softball the race team for three Cuzzone, who atwas elected to a rebounded fourKeehner signed hisLindsey most recent conHinsdale The Warriors bashed three home in thethe second of Sattempting to score a run Rugg Park’s village manager, as a runs terminate villageinning manager’s conavailablegame seats at on Downers the board.Grove KozarSouth. year term in tried that position in theCentral. April Villa tract with the village earlier thisduring year, Friday’s CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa ParkSilver Review of the West Suburban score from According second base on a singlethe by most sophomore Katelyn the topjoined of urday’s tract. received votes of any of theCox 6 in election, Trustee non-conference David reference.battle against the Red Devils on to April 29, 2021. to the Conference. Senior Annemarie Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and that sophomore the second inning, the game tiedcelebrated at Kumar 2-2. Downers Grove catcher Willowbrook Highwhen School’s Class of 2021 its commencement two ceremony that began at 9 a.m. The others and participated in the ceremony started Corkery, Kozar, Kumar Patsix was candidates. attracted the South’s Cilella with and Trustee Christine Murterms of that contract, the village Kayleigh Dennison thespecial home runs. Dennison (No. 5) is pictured in the tagged Rugg out home plate for the third out of of thevotes, inning. Themorning. Mustangs separate ceremonies in the school’s main gymnasium on Sunday Thewent enat 11the a.m. The photo shows members of the Willowbrook Senior Choir performing session rick provided initiated the meeting on Public-participation second-highest total while phy in voting to oppose motion would pay Keehner an at annual salary background of the above photo. more thePage Warriors, pageduring 14. the pubon to defeat the Warriors 7-3 in Corkery the West Suburban Gold contest. Wilclass includes overwith 470 About half those students the during the day’s first service. ForFor more see The4. 15 see speakers Dec. 20. A majority of photos, theabout sevenplaced thirdofin the Conference six-way to attended terminate Keehner’s employment of tire almost $186,000, along anstudents. member board has the authority to lic-participation segment at the beannual vehicle allowance of $6,000. race. Cheryl Tucker, who sought re- contract. last FOX week’s special PHOTO Villa ParkmeetReview Keehner and Villa Park’s village terminate the village’s employment ginning ofCHRIS SUBMITTED PHOTO Villa Park 390271 Review two former Villa Park agreement with Keehner. His con- ing included attorney, Kathleen Field Orr, usually The Village of Villa Park observed Arbor Day with awas treeanplanting onvillage Friday,presidents, April 30. Pictured (left to along with two tract noted that he at-will sit on each side of planting the villageatpresiright) at the tree the village’s Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Villa Park Village your local agent employee of the village, and that the former village trustees; all four disdent during village board meetings. Trustee Christine Murphy, Justin Shlensky—chair the Villa Park Environmental Commisagreed with theConcerns motion to terminate board can terminateofhis employment Keehner did not attend the special sion, Margaret Schiefer—a member of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Villa the at any time, with or without cause. Keehner’s contract. Some of Park meeting on Dec. 20. Neither did Orr, Village Trustee Cheryl Tucker, Villa Parkcontract Villagealso President Albert Bulthuis, Park Village Trustee their (and Contact me for a otherVilla speakers also expressed The states that the vilorVillage any lawyer representing the vilPresident-Elect) Nick Cuzzone and Allison-Seei—chair the VillatoPark Community Pride opposition Keehner’s termination. lage(VFW) shallLeslie provide Keehner withMemorial 60 of 630-514-9961 lage. Orr’s website (kfoassoc.com) complementary Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2801 held its Day service onDay Monday mornCommission. Arbor Day is observed onprior the last Friday of each April. The National Arbor Foundation A few of the speakers voiced their days written notice of its deci630-514-9961 for Field OrrPark & Associing atrecognized Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park. Post Commander Jim is pictured bowingthat his recognihead as kdrury@atproperties.com hasKathleen Villa with Tree City USA designation forBlankshain 36 straight years. Tothe receive market analysis support of village terminating sion to terminate the employment ates notes her of-counsel affiliation Willowbrook High School students Lily Hendrickson and a Anna Seelbach soundataps at the end ofcomthe kdrury@atproperties.com tion, a community must have a treeagreement. board or department, tree-care ordinance, comprehensive contract. pandemic. This ofThe your home!! with Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Arbor ceremony. post’s 2020and Memorial Day event was canceled becauseKeehner’s of the COVID-19 munity forestry program an Day observance. One of the have speakers duringdied. the Corkery, Kozar, Kumar and PatCastaldo, Ltd. Orr’s website also lists year’s observance included a reading of the names of the Post 2801 members who recently meeting’s public-participation segrick all spoke “Sid” duringBergh, the meeting. the Village of Villa World Park as a curThat list included War II veteran Charles who served as the master of ceremonies Iclient. would to help! None of for them provided a specific rent Additionally, her website of Federal the post’s annual Memorial Day service several years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Bergh died4in judge sets trial date for State Sen. Cullerton--Page See BOARD, Page 4 supporting thelast motion toTom mentions his 94 capacity October Keehner, 2020. Hein was yearsas old.reason Berghfor was the post’s surviving World War II veteran.
Graduation day Play at the plate at Willowbrook
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