Burr Ridge Delays Picking Leader, But Mum On Reason

BURR RIDGE, IL — The Burr Ridge Village Board on Tuesday was set to appoint a new administrator and honor the outgoing one. But neither thing happened.

On both items, the board quickly voted to delay decisions until Nov. 9, three days after Administrator Doug Pollock is slated to retire. The trustees gave no explanation at the meeting.

Last week, Mayor Gary Grasso told Patch that the village was looking at a "younger qualified" candidate to replace the retiring Pollock.

By week's end, the village's agenda for Monday's meeting revealed that Grasso was recommending Assistant Village Administrator Evan Walter for the top job. Walter is considerably younger than Pollock.

While Pollock attended Monday's meeting, Walter took part remotely.

When the board decided to delay honoring Pollock, Trustee Zach Mottl asked for the reason.

Grasso responded that he could explain the situation to Mottl after the meeting, calling it a "private matter."

In an interview Tuesday, Trustee Al Paveza said the trustees decided to delay until Nov. 9 because of Mottl's behavior at the meeting.

Less than an hour into the three-hour meeting, the board voted to expel Mottl from the proceedings, saying he was making unverified allegations against the mayor and others.

"It was just such a hectic meeting. We just decided it was better we handle it at the next meeting," Paveza said. "We delayed it so we could do it in an organized and professional manner."

By text, Grasso declined to explain the delay.

Pollock hasn't returned a message from Burr Ridge Patch, but told the Chicago Tribune that he had been thinking about retiring for a while.

Even though Pollock is retiring, he is set to receive $38,000 in severance pay in December. Such pay is typically given when people leave employment against their will. The village was under no previous contractual obligation to provide the severance to Pollock.

Officials have said Pollock would become the village's part-time planner, a position he held before becoming administrator in 2017. The village's separation agreement with Pollock includes nothing about the planner job.

The planner position, Grasso said, plays to Pollock's strengths.

"The consensus of the Board wanted that to happen, so we could also get a certain younger qualified person at a lower salary as Village Administrator sooner," Grasso said in an email to Patch last week.

Pollock, a Riverside village trustee, started with the Burr Ridge village government in 1995.

Check other stories related to the departure of Village Administrator Doug Pollock:

Burr Ridge Administrator Leaving Village After 25 Years

Why Is Burr Ridge Giving $38,000 In Severance?

Burr Ridge Eyes 'Younger' Person To Lead Village: Mayor

Stop Burr Ridge Official's $38K Severance Payment: Trustee

New Burr Ridge Leader Recommended