Here's How Much New La Grange Park District Leader Makes

LA GRANGE, IL — The Park District of La Grange's new executive director is set to make $110,000 a year, along with a $2,500 signing bonus.

Over the weekend, Patch obtained the employment agreement for the new director, Jenny Bechtold, through a public records request.

Bechtold's pay compares to $140,000 for Dean Bissias, who retired as executive director in April. He was with the district for 28 years, the last 16 at the helm.

Bechtold's agreement lasts through April 2023 and can be automatically extended by a year. She is slated to get annual increases of 2 percent. She could get even bigger raises as part of the board's evaluation process.

Also under the agreement, Bechtold will receive four weeks of vacation a year.

On Thursday, the park board approved the contract with Bechtold, who became the interim director after Bissias left. For the last four years, Bechtold was the superintendent of the district's La Grange Fitness.

In the 2020 budget year, the district employed 18 full-timers and 201 part-timers, according to its annual financial report. Its budget was $6.2 million.