Mt. Prospect hires Bensenville's village manager
Bensenville Village Manager Michael Cassady will fill the same role in Mount Prospect after its village board approved a contract for the experienced suburban administrator.
The Mount Prospect board unanimously approved the $205,250 compensation package Tuesday, bringing an end to a roughly six-month, nationwide search that included 34 candidates. The position was left vacant after former manager Michael Janonis left in April with a $200,000 separation agreement. He had been absent since December 2014, when he took time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Trustee Richard Rogers said Cassady has all the skills and experience the board looked for in the exhaustive search.
"We are very fortunate to have Michael Cassady as our new village manager. He comes with a great deal of experience and seems to fit the needs," Rogers said. "I think we have an exceptional candidate."
Cassady has more than 20 years' experience in city management, serving as manager, planning and zoning administrator and other roles in Bensenville and Palatine. He also worked as a real estate executive with The Hummel Group and Joseph Freed & Associates, focusing on mixed-use developments in multiple states. He is a veteran of the Air Force and holds degrees from Southern Illinois University and Northwestern University.
Cassady did not attend the meeting as he is still working for Bensenville. Acting Village Manager Dave Strahl said while no start date has been set, Cassady is expected to begin in Mount Prospect by the end of October.
All the trustees touted Cassady's experience and said they were confident they had the best person for the job. Trustee Colleen Saccotellii said she was excited for the economic development experience Cassady brings while Trustee John Matuszak - who was absent but submitted his comments to the board via email - said Cassady's real estate experience would also be helpful.
Trustee Michael Zadel said Cassady's varied experiences and education make him the perfect fit.
"It is my belief we have the top qualified candidate out there," Zadel said. "I think we're very fortunate to have (him) at this time. He is capable of moving us to the next level."
Trustee Steven Polit also praised the recruiting agency the village used to find Cassady and other candidates. He defended the $18,000 spent on recruiting, saying the quality of the final candidate was worth the price and a similar search would have cost north of $30,000 in the private sector.
But Cassady's compensation package had at least one resident concerned. The deal includes a starting salary of $195,000, 23 vacation days, 12 sick days and five personal days, as well as a vehicle allowance of $6,000. It also includes $9,750 in deferred compensation and $21,930 in employer-paid health insurance.
Longtime resident Louis Goodman facetiously asked the board if $195,000 would be enough for Cassady to live on and said he hoped the new village manager could live up to the price tag.
"I just hope he has a degree in common sense because he is going to have to talk to the taxpayers of this village because, supposedly, we are his boss," Goodman said. "I hope he works out OK. You sure gave him everything but the kitchen sink."
Trustee Paul Hoefert said while he understands the reaction, Cassady's salary is not excessive for the job.
"It's competitive for a person of his stature and experience," Hoefert said. "We didn't enrich him relative to his competition."