Outgoing Buffalo Grove manager got high job rating

Outgoing Buffalo Grove Village Manager William Brimm received overall high marks on his last job evaluation from the village board despite his contentious relationship with one trustee and controversies surrounding the board in the past year.

Brimm, 61, who became village manager in 2006, announced his retirement Feb. 22. He has served with the village, mainly as finance director, since 1978. His last day is June 11. Several village officials have speculated Brimm was retiring early because of his tenuous relationship with Trustee Lisa Stone.

The Daily Herald obtained copies of Brimm's performance evaluation conducted by village trustees at the end of 2009 through a Freedom of Information Act request. Trustees rated Brimm on several categories using a 0-3 scale, with 3 being the highest mark.

The documents show Brimm received a rating that on average was above 2 points, meaning that in their eyes, he generally exceeded his job expectations.

In their written comments, all trustees lauded Brimm's handling of the village's finances, each giving him the maximum score of 3.

"The village financial stability is the direct result of Bill's continued efforts," wrote Trustee Jeffrey Braiman. Beverly Sussman suggested a 3 wasn't high enough.

A few comments suggested Brimm should delegate more work to subordinates, write more concisely and prepare fewer technical reports.

Stone was generally Brimm's harshest critic, giving him a 0 for communication with the village board, and a 1 for his management of village staff, organizational management and leadership, and personal and professional traits.

She also called him "personable and likable" and said he is "very professional and responsive with the public when they call upon him."

She characterized Brimm's responses to board inquiries as "convoluted," described his management style as "over controlling" and said his staff feared him, and that he blames others for failures instead of accepting responsibility.

"I found that offensive," Brimm said Wednesday. "I don't agree with the criticism that I rule by fear and intimidation and that people are afraid of me.

"If I behaved like that over all these years, I know the board wouldn't have given me this opportunity. If they thought that I was heavy-handed or unreasonable, I think they would have asked me to go. They just wouldn't have tolerated it."

Trustee DeAnn Glover had a different take on his communication with the board. "You go the extra mile for the board," she wrote. "You ... have always taken the necessary time to explain something."

Stone questioned Brimm's handling of the approval of an off-track betting parlor. The Cook County state's attorney's office looked into allegations the village had violated the Open Meetings Act and not adequately complied with a Freedom of Information Act request for e-mails, and determined the village did nothing wrong.

Some village board members at the time complained Stone harassed Brimm with phone calls at all hours of the day, including weekends, which led to guidelines for village board members contacting the village staff.

Brimm said Wednesday he believes he handled the state's attorney's inquiry properly.

"I was relying on the advice and direction of the village attorney and the people managing this investigation," he said. "I thought I was being forthright. When they (the board) asked for stuff, it was released."

Brimm said neither his conflicts with Stone nor her negative comments on his performance evaluation hastened his retirement.

"Would she be an ingredient in the mix? Maybe so," he said. "There is more to it than that. I had a wonderful run. I think it's time to move on.

"If I was going to hide from a bad review or hide from a trustee, I would have said to (heck) with it and given my two weeks' notice."

Village President Elliott Hartstein said there was nothing in Brimm's evaluation that would give anyone concern about his performance.

"He has done a stellar job for Buffalo Grove," Hartstein said.