Joliet Park District Official Gets $98,699 Payout

JOLIET, IL — For the second time in three months, the financially challenged Joliet Park District has worked out another expensive severance agreement for a high-ranking official at Inwood. This week, Joliet's Park Board approved a payout for Ted Brodeur, director of revenue facilities and golf operations, giving him $17,215, which is two months of regular salary, plus another $81,484 for his enormous nest egg of unused vacation time and sick days.

In total, Joliet Patch determined, Brodeur will be getting $98,699 to part ways with the Joliet Park District after about 30 years on the job.

According to WJOL, Brodeur already has another job lined up. He is planning to go work as the new executive director of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.

On Wednesday, Joliet Patch requested a copy of Brodeur's severance agreement.

It turns out the Joliet Park District has an extremely generous employee fringe benefits program, comparable to the one available for people employed in a full-time capacity at the city of Joliet.

In order to get the $81,484 payment, Brodeur had accrued 119 days of unused vacation on the park district's books plus another 80 days of unused sick time. According to the Better Government Association, Brodeur was making about $103,000 as of 2017.

"An additional payment in the amount of the $81,483.59 shall be paid to Employee by the District as and for the amount of Employee's earned but unused vacation and sick leave," the terms of this week's separation agreement explain.

In May, after the Joliet Park District's proposed 58-percent property tax increase was defeated by a lopsided 72-28 percent margin, executive director Tom Carstens worked out a severance package for himself. The Joliet Park Board agreed to pay Carstens a total of $82,137 as a "separation sum."

The park district has chosen not to fill Carstens' position, instead making deputy director Brad Staab interim executive director for the indefinite future.

In the case of Brodeur, "The Park District will also realize a significant cost savings. By accepting Mr. Brodeur’s application for Voluntary Separation, the District will have reduced our administrative expenses," a Joliet Park District press release noted. "In light of the financial difficulties currently faced by the District, this was an important consideration in deciding to approve a Separation Agreement with Mr. Brodeur. We wish Mr. Brodeur well as he moves on."