West Chicago nearing decision on hiring new city administrator

West Chicago is in the final phases of selecting a new city administrator.

Mayor Daniel Bovey said earlier this week that he and city officials would soon be meeting with the final two or three candidates for the position.

“At this point,” Bovey said at the Jan. 5 city council meeting, there were eight candidates remaining from an initial field of 110.

Assistant City Administrator Tia Messino has been in the city administrator position since last July, when city council members approved her serving in the role on an interim basis for six months. She’ll revert to assistant when a new administrator is hired.

More information on the administrator recruitment process could come next week, according to Business and Community Relations Director Kelley Chrisse.

Also in the works is the appointment of a permanent city attorney, currently handled on an interim basis by the firm of Ancel Glink.

Several other positions need to be staffed, including the roles of community development director and a replacement for Finance Director Nikki Giles, who is retiring in May.

“One of the most significant decisions we make is the city administrator,” Bovey said. “So that’s kind of on the front burner right now.”

These changes came as a result of moves made by Bovey, initially resisted by council members, to replace former City Administrator Michael Guttman and former city attorney Pat Bond shortly after Bovey was sworn in as West Chicago’s mayor on June 2.

In addition to permanently filling those positions, the city must also replace Spence Hallett on the city council. The Ward 3 alderman resigned from the panel on Dec. 31.

Bovey added that he’d also like to form a temporary commission focused on making city hall more accessible and “a better resource” to residents, and another commission concentrating on community engagement.

He called them “two other priorities” in addition to the city’s temporary Downtown Revitalization Committee.

Bovey termed these measures as a chance to “turn over a new leaf,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity that we have to just realign and refocus and recalibrate ourselves.”