Hanover Park removes village manager residency requirement

The Hanover Park village board voted Thursday to remove a residency requirement for the village manager.

Current Village Manager Juliana Maller is retiring in the fall after 11 years as the village’s top administrator. She does not live in the village.

The village had previously advertised the positions as “residency preferred, but not required,” though municipal code mandated residency.

“It’s outdated,” said Courtney Sage, deputy village manager. “We now have technology that makes employees readily accessible and available and able to tackle any issues that come up. I do not feel residents see an impact.”

The village manager’s position was the only job title in Hanover Park village government with a residency requirement outside of the elected officials.

Sage said Maller living outside the village has not affected her ability to perform her duties.

Village officials also said few municipalities in the suburbs have residency requirements for administrative officials anymore.

The village board decided to change the residency requirement in order to begin the recruitment process in earnest for Maller’s replacement, Sage said. That decision required amending the village code.

The changes to the village manager ordinance also amended outdated gender language. Previously, the village manager was referred to as “he” throughout the municipal code. The new language changes those references to “village manager.”