Village manager's ouster could be first of many changes in Mt. Prospect

Last week's vote to replace longtime Mount Prospect Village Manager Michael Janonis was very much a referendum on change in the village.

The 3-2 vote was almost evenly split between the village board's old guard, with veteran Trustees Michael Zadel and A. John Korn wanting to keep Janonis and newer Trustees Steven Polit and John Matuszak backing a roughly $200,000 separation agreement.

The deadlock was broken by the senior trustee, Paul Hoefert, who began serving on the board around the time Janonis was hired.

The vote showed that change is afoot in Mount Prospect - and Janonis' departure may be just the beginning.

For an indication of what might happen next, one might look to nearby Buffalo Grove, which switched from an entrenched administration to a dynamic one under Village Manager Dane Bragg. A wave of retirements by senior staff followed, as well as the hiring of a community development director.

Mount Prospect might be looking to move in the same direction as it embarks upon what Mayor Arlene Juracek called a "broad" search for Janonis' replacement.

Wednesday's village board meeting answered many questions about what has been happening behind the scenes in the village regarding Janonis' situation. But enough space was left between the lines to leave no one fooled that a lot more could have been said.

One thing was clear from the statements by Juracek and the trustees during and after the meeting: It was their decision, not Janonis', to part ways.

"If he had willingly trod off into the sunset, we probably wouldn't have needed to do a separation agreement," Juracek said. "So I think an inducement was required."

Janonis had taken a leave of absence in November under the Family and Medical Leave Act without publicly stating the reason.

Despite the lengthy leave, Korn supported Janonis' return.

"I believe he wants his job, and he should keep it," he said.

Zadel, who along with Hoefert had met earlier in the year with Janonis, confirmed, "He expressed a desire to stay."

But Juracek said the wheels of change were in motion well before Janonis took leave.

Polit said deliberations on Janonis' future with the village went on for many months, with the board eventually deciding to seek a separation pact.

"After we decided to negotiate the separation agreement, we then entered the action of actually negotiating the separation agreement. That took several more months," Polit said.

So why the shift from a stable village administration that began more than 20 years ago?

"I think it was more just the desire to have fresh eyes looking at things," Juracek said. "We have gotten so good at what we have done that it is hard to see what improvements can be made. So that's where you need that change at the top. You see corporations do that all the time."

A new strategic plan and a new governor also influenced the thinking, she said.

"We have new challenges before us with a new governor and new funding threats going forward," Juracek said. "Taking all of these considerations in mind, we elected in the majority to pursue a change of leadership. I think we're looking for aggressive leadership going forward."

Matuszak said a key element of the separation agreement was the removal of legal risk.

"Anytime you separate any employee, there is always the risk of litigation, and this separation agreement ends that risk of litigation," he said.

"This settlement is customary and reasonable in the marketplace today," Hoefert added.

"Rest assured that Mr. Janonis served the village admirably and honorably for many, many years and brought us through economic times and a few other challenges over that period of time. But sometimes, there is a need for change."

At last week's board meeting, village resident Wes Pinchot brought up the $6.5 million settlement last year with the owner of Ye Olde Town Inn, and he also took issue with comparisons between the village's move with Janonis and what happens in the private sector.

"I really question whether it's necessary to provide this additional compensation to the village manager," he said.

Others asked the board about the reasons for the separation.

"If our village manager did such a terrific job, why are we letting him go?" said longtime resident Roy Stobe. "There has to be a reason."

There was also support for Janonis.

"One hundred percent, it was a privilege to work with him for the past 13 years" on the Special Events Commission, said Teresa VanOpdorp.

Dawn Fletcher Collins, executive director at the Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce, said that while she respects the village's decision, she had hoped Janonis would keep his job.

Though he voted against the separation, Zadel said it ultimately was a "business decision" for the board.