Glencoe Hires Finance Director From Vernon Hills

VERNON HILLS, IL — Vernon Hills Finance Director Nikki Larson has resigned to take the same position in Glencoe, less than two months after questions over the transparency of spending on legal bills led to the resignation of the village manager. It came as a surprise to village staff Thursday when Larson tendered her letter of resignation, Pioneer Press reported.

The job Larson will be taking – like the still-unfilled position of top manager in Vernon Hills – was vacated as a result of negotiated settlements that have yet to be publicly explained.

In Glencoe, Larson will be taking a position held from 1999 until earlier this year by David Clark, who was terminated by Village Manager Phil Kiraly in January for unspecified reasons, Glencoe News reported. The board approved a negotiated $88,000 settlement agreement in March.

That same month, Vernon Hills Village Manager John Kalmar was asked to resign by Mayor Roger Byrne. He told the Vernon Hills Review the situation involved legal fees for undisclosed consulting matters from the firm Schain, Banks, Kenny & Schwartz.

“I didn’t know and the board didn’t know, and all the sudden attorney bills were rolling in,” Byrne told the paper. Board members later approved a $161,000 separation agreement with Kalmar.

He compared the situation to Lake Forest, where $192,000 was billed through the law firm of the city's staff attorney and used to pay a D.C.-based firm to lobby Amtrak but not disclosed to council members.

In the wake of public outcry from opponents of Amtrak expansion, Lake Forest City Manager Bob Kiely has stayed on. But City Attorney Vic Filippini resigned with sharp criticisms for the city's handling of a special counsel's investigation into the matter.

Larson told Pioneer Press she was excited for the chance to take over as finance director in Glencoe, describing the offer as an "incredible opportunity." Before taking over in January 2016 Larson was the finance director in Highland Park and the accounting manager of Palatine. She did not return a message left Friday.

In a Monday release, Glencoe officials said Larson was selected from a competitive field of more than 70 applicants and noted her role as past president of the Illinois Government Finance Officers Association.

“I’m very pleased that Ms. Larson is joining our team. She is a talented and technically capable public finance professional, and I am extremely confident in her ability to continue the Village’s long-standing tradition of excellence in municipal finance," said Kiraly, the Glencoe village manager. "Throughout the selection process, we were struck by Ms. Larson’s strong technical background, her commitment to innovation and her passion for public service."

At a March 13 board meeting to discuss the Vernon Hills budget for the coming year, the mayor brought up the matter of "recently retained special counsel." Byrne asked Kalmar repeatedly whether the city was doing business with any other law firms.

"Nikki do you know what I'm talking about?" Byrne asked Larson. "Don't look at me like I don't know."

With Larson's departure, Vernon Hills is now without a permanent village manager, city attorney or treasurer.

Vernon Hills March 13 Board Meeting: