Top La Grange Official Leaving After 5 Years At Helm

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange Village Manager Andrianna Peterson, who has been at the village's helm for five years, is resigning Friday.

Charity Jones, the village's community development director, is poised to become the acting manager. Village President Mark Kuchler is asking for the Village Board to approve Jones' appointment at its meeting Monday.

In a memo, Kuchler said Peterson announced her resignation in July. The announcement may have been internal, but wasn't made public.

The news of Peterson's departure was contained in Kuchler's memo, which was released as part of the meeting agenda packet Thursday afternoon. The Village Board last met six weeks ago.

Last September, Peterson received a 2.3 percent cost-of-living raise and a 2 percent merit increase. That hiked her pay to $182,200.

Peterson started as manager in July 2017. She was the assistant manager for 11 years before that.

She was also the village administrator in Berkeley for 8 years.

At Monday's meeting, the board is set to vote on a resolution honoring Peterson.

The resolution praised Peterson for "adeptly and dynamically" leading the village through the pandemic.

It said her labors are "reflected in the thriving, vibrant community we enjoy."

The resolution named two projects that Peterson undertook while assistant manager – the rehabilitation of the historic Stone Avenue Train Station and the establishment of a consolidated 911 center for La Grange, La Grange Park, Western Springs and Countryside.

Jones has been the community development director since 2016. In the eight years before that, she served as the village planner and then the economic development director in Lemont.

In his memo, Kuchler said Jones has demonstrated leadership and possesses strong communication skills.