Wauconda mayor to name Yost chief without board vote

Wauconda Mayor Frank Bart on Friday said he'll unilaterally name Sgt. Patrick Yost the new police chief rather than asking the village board to vote on the issue.

Without a board vote, the appointment will be on a temporary but indefinite basis, Bart said.

Earlier this week, Bart had said he would ask the board to vote on Yost's nomination when it meets Tuesday, Aug. 20. Yost long has been Bart's only candidate to replace current Chief Douglas Larsson, whom Bart moved to oust shortly after taking office in May.

Larsson was placed on leave this week. His tenure as chief is set to end Aug. 31. Bart has said he is removing Larsson as a cost-saving move, with Yost's sergeant position going unfilled.

The board was first supposed to vote on Yost's nomination in early June, but it didn't after an enormous public outcry in support of retaining Larsson.

Bart wants unanimous support from the trustees, and he doesn't think the votes are in his favor.

“If I don't have a unanimous vote, I'm not going to bring it up,” Bart said. “I don't want to have the board divided. That sets Yost up in a bad position.”

Having Yost serve on a temporary basis “gives us time to evaluate his performance and give him a chance to do his job,” Bart said.

Yost will earn $110,000 a year as chief, a salary increase of about 10 percent, Bart said.