Antioch names new village administrator

Calling him capable and dedicated, Antioch Mayor Larry Hanson appointed Jim Keim as the new village administrator. The move was approved by the board at a meeting Monday night.

Keim, 38, replaces outgoing administrator Jill Velan. The board decided not to renew Velan's contract when it expired on May 31. She served for 14 months.

"I feel honored to make him my administrator," Hanson said.

As an Antioch native, "Jim has a love for this town like most of us do," he added.

Keim's salary has not been finalized but will be less than the nearly $112,000 annual salary Velan earned, Hanson said.

Employed as the village's director of physical services for the last four years, Keim takes the lead at a time when village finances are under pressure.

The $11.1 million budget was passed by the board headed by former mayor Dorothy Larson but was rescinded by Hanson shortly after he was sworn in last month. Hanson expressed concerns about revenue projections versus expenditures.

Getting the budget passed will be Keim's No. 1 priority.

"We need to present a budget that everyone on the board is comfortable with and also make sure the village can afford it," Keim said before Monday's meeting.

Working closely with Velan, Keim prepared and presented the village's first Capital Improvement Plan last March.

The five-year plan proposes projects ranging from cleaning up Sequoit Creek to building a new village hall and aquatic center. Keim said he's pleased the village has specific ideas but says he's realistic about what can be done.

"We would like to fund as many of these projects as possible," he said. "But in these economic times we can only do so much."

A civil engineer, Keim lives in Waterford, Wis., with his wife, DeAnne. She is a podiatrist in the Milwaukee area.

Hanson said he's been impressed by Keim over the years and has full confidence in his ability to do the job.

"Jim is a good communicator and good researcher," Hanson said. "He has the type of attitude this village needs. He has a very hands-on approach and is forward thinking. The staff likes him."