Elgin manager hiring comes up again in council race

Should the Elgin City Council have waited until after the Tuesday, April 7, election to appoint a new city manager?

The question resurfaced Monday night at an Elgin League of Women Voters forum - one of the final debates before the election.

Ten people are seeking three 4-year terms on the Elgin City Council. Robert Gilliam, Juan Figueroa and John Walters are seeking re-election. The challengers are Rich Dunne, Brenda Harris Khan, Shane Nowak, John Prigge, Linda Quezada, Lenora Scruggs and Bruce Trego. Trego did not attend the forum.

Four people hope to fill a vacant 2-year term on the council, including Emi Morales, Mike Robins, Brenda Rodgers and Mike Warren.

In early March, City Manager Femi Folarin announced he was going to retire at the end of June. At that time, city leaders said they unanimously supported appointing Assistant City Manager Sean Stegall to Folarin's post. The council approved Stegall's contract two weeks later.

Walters noted Stegall has been recruited by other cities nationally and prepares the city's budget, so it could have been "devastating" for the city to lose Stegall with other department heads leaning toward early retirement as well.

Figueroa said the city did not have enough money to hire a firm to do a national search.

"I think we did the right thing," Gilliam added.

The only challenger for the 4-year seat who agreed was Nowak.

"You could always fire him if things don't work out and hire someone else," he said.

Warren was the only 2-year candidate who supported the city's decision, saying Stegall is the right choice to guide the city though the recession.

Other candidates said the council should have at least waited until after the election.

"The word 'interim' would have been a much better solution," Prigge said.

Said Scruggs: "I hear (Stegall is) the best, but there are people out there that may have been better."

The last forum before the election is at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at the Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, 783 W. Highland Ave., Elgin. It is organized by the NearWest Neighbors Association.

The forum will be recorded and posted on the Web site youtube.com.

Soon: Could have called manager 'interim,' some say