New Joliet City Manager Gets $215K Salary

JOLIET, IL - On Tuesday night, the Joliet City Council voted to approve an employment contract for David Hales as Joliet's next permanent city manager. Hales comes to Joliet from Bloomington, where he worked as the city manager since January 2009. Joliet announced that Hales will make an annual salary of $215,000. He will also receive a generous fringe benefits package that the city provides as part of its employment contract for the city manager, the top full-time position at Joliet's City Hall.

"The City Council is extremely impressed with the qualifications and background of Mr. Hales. He is clearly a seasoned and respected City Manager who will bring a tremendous amount of value to our city," Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk said in a statement.

Joliet city officials touted the fact that Hales has more than 25 years of experience as a city manager in various communities across the entire U.S. Hales graduated from the University of Utah and has a master's in public administration from Brigham Young University, the city noted.

Hales traveled to Joliet, along with his wife, Kathy, to be in the audience for Tuesday's council meeting. Hales comes to Joliet with decades of experience in city government, having worked in several states across the country. Before moving to Illinois almost a decade ago, Hales worked in West Jordan, Utah, from 2005 through 2008 as that community's finance director. Hales served as a consultant in 2004 and 2005 and worked as a city manager in Bend, Oregon from 2001 through 2003. He worked as city manager in Kannapolis, North Carolina from 1997 to 2002 and spent the previous 11 years as city manager in Centerville, Utah.

Hales, who is in his early sixties, addressed the Joliet council after the vote to hire him. He was charismatic and funny and made a point to offer a few words of thanks to his wife, Kathy, "for saying yes" to his decision "of making one more relocation."

Hales said the thought of leading a city like Joliet is "a dream come true."

"The city of Joliet has such a sterling reputation," Hales told the council, mentioning how Joliet is known for success, progress and setting standards.

Hales said he's looking forward to taking over as Joliet's new city manager "in about 60 days." For the past several months, corporation counsel Marty Shanahan has served as interim city manager.

The City Council awarded Hales a three-year employment contract and Joliet anticipates he will officially start as Joliet city manager effective Nov. 27.

Hales replaces Jim Hock, who retired in May after serving as city manager in Joliet since 2013.

Images via Joliet Patch, City of Bloomington