Burr Ridge Resignations Impact Village Hall

BURR RIDGE, IL — A number of recent resignations at Burr Ridge Village Hall has left the government shorthanded.

Among other things, the village stopped its weekly online newsletter and regular police blotter to the media.

This adds to the turbulence at Village Hall since last fall, when the Village Board pressured the resignation of then-Administrator Doug Pollock, who received $38,000 in severance.

This was around the same time that the longtime finance director, Jerry Sapp, was placed on leave for undisclosed reasons. In late May, the Village Board voted for a $15,000 raise for the acting finance director, Amy Nelson. She submitted her resignation letter days later, giving no clue on her plans.

Even the village's top staffer, Administrator Evan Walter, has "interim" before his title. He was poised to get the top job last fall, but then-Trustee Zach Mottl released Walter's controversial text messages.

In a July 12 public message, Walter announced the village would "temporarily pause" the weekly newsletter. He said the village was evaluating the format and frequency of the publication and other communications. He promised the village would update the village website, continue posting his weekly memo to the trustees and post to Facebook.

Walter also said the village would send a more streamlined monthly communication starting Aug. 5. It's likely the village ended the weekly publication because the village's communications coordinator, Janet Kowal, who put it out, resigned in early June.

In her resignation letter, Kowal said she was leaving for "personal family reasons." She addressed her letter to Mayor Gary Grasso and the Village Board, saying she "greatly enjoyed" working with them and serving residents.

"I would be open to continuing my position on a remote basis to ensure continuity for the Village, at the discretion of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees, whom I greatly respect," she said.

Here are some other recent resignations:

• Joe Arcus, village planner: He served in the position for a month when he gave his two weeks' notice in a June 11 resignation letter to Walter. He said he was leaving to pursue another job opportunity that better fit his planning and policy interests. "I have appreciated the mentorship, friendly attitude from my coworkers and the opportunity to engage planning and municipal administration at an immediate and personal level," he said in the letter. According to his LinkedIn page, he became the senior planner for sustainability for Lake County. In Burr Ridge, Arcus took the place of Pollock, the former administrator, who worked in the planner position part time after his resignation from the top job.
• Heidi Nelson, police records specialist: In a June 11 letter to Police Chief John Madden, Nelson said she would resign in two weeks. She thanked the chief for the opportunities he provided her. The Village Board agreed to start the process of filling her position because it was seen as vital. The loss of Nelson may have made it difficult for the department to release blotters.
• James Lukas, water and wastewater supervisor: The Village Board accepted his retirement letter April 12. He retired June 25. The board agreed to start the process of filling his position because it was deemed "mission critical."

Mayor Grasso and Chief Madden couldn't be reached for immediate comment.

The Village Board hasn't met since June 28.