Forest Park Village Administrator Pay Low Compared to Peers

It was floated recently by a Forest Park commissioner that Tim Gillian, the man who oversees daily operations for Forest Park, ought to get a sizeable raise.

The discussed increase—$20,000, or 20 percent—would put him in line with what some village managers earn, but would not be as much as what managers and administrators in other northern Illinois communities with comparable populations earn.

According to a study by Patch, Gillian's salary and benefits package totaling $132,349 ranks at the bottom of eight communities.

The village is conducting its own survey on salaries and benefits and said it will be presented to commissioners at a future meeting.

The issue of Gillian's compensation arose after Commissioner Rory Hoskins divulged information to the Forest Park Review about a conversation that took place in executive session at a recent meeting.

Gillian's compensation increase came up as part of a discussion about wages for personnel who are not covered by a village bargaining agreement, Village President Anthony Calderone said.

The question of Gillian's salary increase arose and Gillian was excused from the meeting, Calderone said. He added that he asked commissioners what they thought, and the idea of a $20,000 increase was floated by Commissioner Mark Hosty, Calderone said.

Calderone took it as a jumping off point for discussion. He said in closed session he always takes a poll to determine if there's a consensus on an issue.

Calderone recalled that Hoskins said he did not come prepared to discuss the topic, and commissioners Tom Mannix and Chris Harris said they were not in favor of the increase. The subject is now on hold, Calderone said, but any raise for Gillian would not likely be that high.

"He is not getting a $20,000 raise," Calderone said.

Had the question of a salary increase been approved, the village's salary ordinance would have to be amended, and that vote would have to be taken in open session, Calderone said.

By law, units of government, including villages, school boards, park boards and the like, can meet behind closed doors to discuss personnel matters, including negotiating contracts, salary matters and performance reviews and the sale or acquisition of property.

Calderone told Patch he was livid over Hoskins' talking with a reporter regarding a matter discussed in a closed session.

"It's a textbook example of why this needs to be kept in closed session," Calderone said. "One individual's comments ended up being taken out of context and they were misconstrued."

Hoskins said a reporter for the Review called him and he answered her questions. He said he divulged the information because in this case he felt the proposal itself was adverse to Forest Park.

"I felt I was justified," Hoskins said. "My duty was not to my fellow commissioners but to the jurisdiction, Forest Park."

Brian Day, lead staff attorney for the Illinois Municipal League, said there is no state law saying that public officials cannot divulge information discussed in a closed session.

But, he said, "it's up to public officials to comport themselves in the proper manner in dealing with sensitive information that could harm and community or an individual person."

Click to see the salaries of employees in the municipalities surveyed: Winnetka, La Grange, La Grange Park, Western Springs, Wood Dale, Wauconda, Lindenhurst and Warrenville. Wood Dale's information is posted as a PDF on this story.

Some of the municipalities surveyed have village administrators, others have village managers. The two positions generally have different responsibilities.

To conduct the study, Patch first looked at U.S. Census Data for 2011 for Northern Illinois communities with similarly sized populations to Forest Park. Patch then looked at each muncipality's annual compensation report, a document that communities must compile in accordance with the state open meetings act.

* Includes salary, car allowance and health insurance
** Includes salary, car allowance, pensions and FICA
***Includes salary, but other benefits unspecified
**** Includes salary, medical, dental and life insurance
*****Includes salary, car allowance and unspecified contribution
****** Includes all benefits

Sources: Community's Compensation Disclosure Forms