New Lake Zurich village manager sworn in

Ray Keller is ready to tackle a long-stalled downtown revitalization as he starts as Lake Zurich's village manager.

Keller was sworn in by Lake Zurich Mayor Thomas Poynton at a meeting Monday night. His swearing-in ceremony occurred in a packed village board chambers, with many visitors present for the oath-of-office ceremonies for police and fire personnel.

Poynton spoke highly of Keller, who comes to Lake Zurich after nine years as Gilberts' village administrator.

"Ray brings to the table exactly what Lake Zurich needs in order to continue the significant progress that we've made in the past three years," Poynton said. "He's a true professional, and we look forward to the skills and leadership he will be bringing to our excellent team of elected officials and highly regarded professional staff."

Lake Zurich began looking for a new village manager after Jason Slowinski resigned last September to take a similar job in Golden, Colorado.

Keller has a three-year contract that'll pay a $150,000 annual base salary to start. He'll also receive a yearly $5,000 vehicle allowance and a $200 monthly technology stipend for cellular telephone and tablet usage fees for business purposes.

Revitalization of downtown Lake Zurich will be among the issues on Keller's plate. He said he looks forward to working with the village board and the community in general on finding the best way to redevelop the downtown.

"There's a number of properties that are doing very well - a number of businesses that are uniquely Lake Zurich," Keller said. "I think that there are some spaces that can be filled over time. I think it might take a little bit of imagination, a little creativity, to figure out what might be good fits for the properties, taking advantage of its venue, its visage over the lake."

He added care must be taken with redevelopment to ensure Lake Zurich retains its character and doesn't become a "nameless, faceless community."

With Keller starting his Lake Zurich career Monday, interim Village Manager Steven Husak is back to his full-time job as police chief.

Interim top cop Kevin Finlon has resumed his duties as deputy police chief.

Keller has roughly 20 years of municipal government experience, including serving as DeKalb's city planner.