Why No Raise For Hinsdale Official For 3 Years?

HINSDALE, IL — The Hinsdale Village Board voted unanimously Tuesday to give Village Manager Kathleen Gargano a 2.25 percent pay hike, bringing her salary to $205,306. It was her first raise since 2017.

Before the vote, Trustee Luke Stifflear asked why the village had gone three years without giving the manager a raise or even a cost-of-living increase.

Village President Tom Cauley, who praised Gargano for doing an "outstanding" job, said it was probably his fault.

"Kathleen is the kind of person who never promotes herself. It was up to me to remind her she hadn't gotten a pay increase," Cauley said during the remote meeting. "She always reminds me about other staff and their pay increases. Somehow, the conversations we've had have omitted her... I'm completely responsible for the delinquency in giving her annual raises."

According to a village memo, other employees received 2.25 percent increases in May.

A number of trustees said Gargano's raise was well-earned.

"Going three years without a pay increase, given her performance, is probably unprecedented in her role. I would like to make sure that going forward, we don't miss it again," Stifflear said. "I'd hate to see it go another three years without one."

After the Village Board's vote, Gargano said, "Thank you very much."

Her raise is retroactive to May 1. She has been the manager since 2013.