Quick out as Wauconda’s village administrator

Wauconda Mayor Mark Knigge isn’t conceding that longtime Village Administrator Dan Quick was pushed into retirement because the village’s economic struggles.

However, Knigge admits he would not have reappointed Quick to Wauconda’s top administrative position when appointments are made the first week of May because the village is consolidating the administrator’s post.

“I don’t think layoff is the correct term, but we did ask for him to move into retirement,” Knigge said Friday. “He does not have a contract with the village of Wauconda, he would have needed to be reappointed, and I would have not reappointed him.”

Quick’s retirement, announced without warning in a news release sent out by Knigge late Thursday afternoon, ends his nearly 29 years service to Wauconda. Attempts to reach him late Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful.

A lifelong resident of the village, Quick started at the Wauconda Police Department in 1982 and has gone on to hold a number of jobs, including chief of police and village administrator for the past eight years. He was earning $120,000 as village administrator.

Knigge said the final retirement paperwork between Quick and the village has not been approved, so he could not go into details of any severance package Quick may receive. The village requested Quick’s retirement so he could have the benefit of a severance package rather than walk away empty-handed, the mayor said.

“We do not want to diminish what Dan has done for the village of Wauconda,” Knigge said. “But, we have promised village residents to reduce costs. Consolidating interdepartmental responsibilities is one of the ways we are doing it.”

Knigge said the village administrator’s role will be consolidated with the jobs performed by the director of public works and director of building and zoning.

David Geary, who heads up building and zoning and public works, has been named acting village administrator.

Quick is a member of the Waucondafest Committee and past president and board member of both the Wauconda Park District Park Board and Wauconda Community Unit School District 118. He serves on the Wauconda Volunteer Fire Department board and has been a firefighter and paramedic in the past. He also served as president of the Wauconda Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club.

“Given the respect we have for Dan, we are trying to make the split as amicable as possible,” Knigge said. “We want to thank Dan for all he’s done in the village, and point out that this isn’t his fault in any way. The economy has really hurt us bad.”