First reported 4/20/2010 9:02 a.m.
Steve Gutierrez, a long-serving administrator in River Forest, is parting ways with the municipality after 20 years at village hall.
In a brief and somewhat subdued announcement at the end of a committee meeting Monday night, Village President John Rigas said simply that Gutierrez is not part of the long-term plan. A subsequent statement released Tuesday morning pegged his last day as July 31.
“I think, overall, the board and I agree this is the best thing for all parties involved,” Gutierrez said Monday night.
Gutierrez, 46, was first hired as an assistant administrator by the village in July 1990. He sat quietly as Rigas broke the news to a few department heads and reporters sitting in attendance Monday, and offered no remarks of his own. When approached for comment, both Gutierrez and Rigas declined to elaborate on why this decision was reached.
None of the other village trustees who attended the meeting made any statements regarding the change in leadership.
The prepared statement released on Tuesday, however, cited “philosophical differences.”
“Both parties have come to the conclusion that due to philosophical differences this is the best course for all those involved,” the statement reads. “Mr. Gutierrez will receive a three-month contract to continue to serve the village to facilitate an orderly transition to his successor.”
Trustees Steve Hoke and Steve Dudek did not attend the meeting.
In an interview following the announcement, Trustee Catherine Adduci said that since the most recent election of new board members in April 2009, the board has had general discussions regarding Gutierrez’s future with the village. His employment contract expired at the same time new board members were voted in, she said, and was not renewed. Generally, the trustees are looking for an administrator with more experience in managing operations and finance.
“We need to find a leader that has more of the fiscal operations experience,” Adduci said.
In the last six months, those talks have intensified.
“We’re entering into a new era,” Adduci said. “We kind of need a new and different leadership team.”
River Forest is in the midst of trying to fill three other key positions at village hall. Greg Weiss was named interim chief of the police department April 1, and a larger search for a permanent hire is expected. On April 30, the director of public works, Greg Kramer, will retire. The top position in the finance department also remains vacant. An interim treasurer in the finance department, Joan Rock, had agreed in March to be the finance director, but reversed her decision and is leaving to take a position with another municipality.
Finding a new village administrator, however, may delay how quickly those posts are filled. Rigas said Monday that replacing Gutierrez will take priority. According to Adduci, those vacancies present an opportunity for the next administrator to build their own team.
“It’s going to be the first part of the process,” Rigas said.
CONTACT: jadams@wjinc.com