Police chief might lose 'interim' tag

Law enforcement limbo continues in Island Lake after the village board recently shot down a plan to cut the pay of interim police chiefs.

Mayor Tom Hyde and the board have fought over the issue since before the April election swept in an almost entirely new crop of trustees.

After his election in 2005, Hyde picked John Fellmann for the job of Island Lake police chief. In January, the village board declined to renew Fellmann's contract, but five days later, Hyde appointed Fellmann interim police chief. Since then, the board has limited pay and benefits for interim chiefs.

Trustee Don Saville said an ordinance that would cut interim police chief pay in increments down to $52,191 by March 2009 was not directed at Fellmann, who currently makes $71,000 a year.

"This ordinance is a safe-check," Saville said. The rule, he continued, would "prevent the mayor from appointing an interim police chief for an indefinite length of time."

Hyde argued the ordinance was unfair.

"It would cut the police chief's salary … 35 percent," he said.

After the pay cut was defeated, Hyde said the next step will be offering Fellmann a permanent contract that would take him out of interim status.

"The contract is ready to go," Hyde said, estimating the chief's position would be solidified in the next 30 days.

The pay cut suffered a narrow defeat at the last board meeting after Hyde provided the tie-breaking vote.

At the time, Hyde asked the board to table the measure until Trustee Frances Sadoski, head of the police committee, could attend. Sadoski was absent from the meeting because of personal reasons.

Trustee Deborah Herrmann said she saw no reason to delay voting.

"I don't see anything different that's going to be said," she said. Herrmann said Island Lake needs a permanent chief and not stop-gap plans. "This village needs a person in that position of (long-term) leadership. That's not what we have right now."

Trustee John Ponio, who voted against the measure, said the chief is doing a good job and shouldn't be punished.

"I think he does an important function for the village," Ponio said. "I don't think he should have this hanging over his head."