Des Plaines takes 'acting' off current manager's title

After hiring a headhunter for a national city manager search, Des Plaines found the candidate it sought within the walls of its own city hall.

Aldermen on Monday night selected Acting City Manager Jason Bajor to replace the city manager who left last May.

By a 6-2 vote, aldermen directed the mayor, an alderman and the city attorney to negotiate a contract with 38-year-old Bajor. Bajor was one of three finalists interviewed by aldermen in closed session in early January.

Aldermen met again in closed session on Monday, then announced publicly that Bajor was their choice.

Bajor, an Army veteran, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Illinois. He began working for the city in 2000 as assistant to the city manager.

In 2002, he became the assistant human resources director. A year later, he was named the director of human resources. He lives in Des Plaines with his wife, Christine, a former city employee.

"I'm very flattered to be chosen by the city council," Bajor said after the city council meeting.

With major redevelopment projects planned for the Mannheim Road corridor and in the Five Corners area, Bajor enters the position with a full agenda.

After aldermen declined to renew the contract of former City Manager David Niemeyer last May, Bajor fulfilled those duties as acting city manager. Niemeyer, who, under the separation terms with Des Plaines, agreed not to say anything disparaging about his time in the city, has since become the village manager in Oak Brook. Niemeyer was hired by Des Plaines in 2003 after the previous city manager quit after less than a year on the job amid complaints that aldermen were micromanaging.

Des Plaines voters in 2004 overwhelmingly decided to let the city manager handle day-to-day business and hire key city personnel, rather than have elected officials do the hiring. After the vote, a power struggle emerged between aldermen and Niemeyer.

In perhaps a harbinger of that continued struggle, the vote backing Bajor wasn't unanimous. Third Ward Alderman Laura Murphy and 8th Ward Alderman Rosemary Argus voted against negotiating a contract with Bajor.

Argus said she was looking forward to a change with one of the other finalists, whose names have been kept under wraps. She also criticized Bajor for not returning phone calls -- something she believes wouldn't have happened with the other candidates. Argus said she wants an open and transparent government.

"I do want a city manager who returns phone calls, so I will be voting 'no,'" Argus said.

When asked to comment, Bajor said: "Well, you're not going to have everyone's support."

Bajor added that his job will be to serve the council regardless of that unlikely unanimous support.