Attorney backs mayor in Island Lake suspension fight

After Island Lake Mayor Debbie Herrmann suspended interim police Chief Anthony Scarron last week without consulting the village board, trustees and local residents questioned whether Herrmann has the power to make such decisions unilaterally.

The question remained unanswered through the week despite a special, closed- door board meeting on the subject.

But on Thursday night, an attorney for the village publicly declared she does.

Citing a 1982 case involving Round Lake Beach, attorney Donald W. Anderson told the village board the courts have ruled a mayor does have the legal right to suspend an interim police chief.

The officer also has the right to have a hearing before the police board before being fired, Anderson said. The officer must be given his previous rank if removed from the chief's office, too, he said.

Sciarrone had been appointed interim chief in 2008.

He previously had served as a sergeant.

Herrmann seemed to feel vindicated by Anderson's opinion.

"He was an interim chief, and we were working on some changes," Herrmann told the board.

She did not elaborate.

Herrmann also revealed Sciarrone's contract for the chief's post expired last year, which surprised some members of the board.

It was the first time Herrmann had spoken publicly to the board about Sciarrone's suspension.

She did not attend the panel's special meeting last week.

Anderson, a member of the firm that represents the village and advises the board, shared the opinion as the board debated proposals introduced by Trustee John Ponio that would limit a mayor's ability to place employees on administrative leave or discipline employees.

The discussions occasionally became heated. During one lively back-and-forth, Herrmann threatened to call police to have Trustee Laurie Rabattini removed from the boardroom, which prompted angry outbursts from the audience.

Rabattini remained on the dais and the discussion continued.

The board did not vote on any of Ponio's proposals.