West Chicago hires new city administrator
An attorney from North Aurora has been hired to become the next city administrator for West Chicago.
West Chicago City Council members unanimously agreed on Monday to hire Viviana Ramirez as the city administrator. Her first day on the job will be April 6. She will be paid an annual salary of $207,000.
Ramirez worked for Aurora from 2021 to 2025. Her final position with that city was chief community services officer.
She said her appreciation of West Chicago and its “wonderful community feel” was one of the reasons she applied for the city administrator position.
“This is where my passion for public service has led me — to the municipal roles,” Ramirez said. “So I’m just really excited to work with this community. It’s an honor, and I’m very grateful they’ve placed trust and confidence in me.”
Ramirez previously worked as a family law attorney for 13 years in Aurora and Geneva and is a certified family court mediator. She also worked with the Kane County state’s attorney’s office as chief of its conviction integrity unit and as director of diversity, equity and inclusion training.
The hiring of Ramirez in West Chicago marks the end of a chapter in the city that began when Mayor Daniel Bovey first took office on May 5, 2025.
After being sworn in, Bovey quickly moved to replace former City Administrator Michael Guttman, which prompted most of the 14-member council to question the legality of the move.
The debate continued until July 2025, when aldermen agreed to retain Guttman in an off-site role until his retirement Jan. 31, with Assistant City Administrator Tia Messino serving as interim city administrator until a permanent replacement was found.
Ramirez was selected following a national search, and 110 candidates applied for the position.
“I think change can be difficult,” Ramirez said, “But what I saw was a very thoughtful process, so I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
Bovey said he was impressed by Ramirez because she asked “really good, perceptive questions” and has “an ability to grasp complex issues and situations quickly.” He added that her experiences and skills as a lawyer and licensed mediator are a benefit.
The mayor said he believes the confluence of West Chicago’s downtown revitalization program, major infrastructure projects, and completion of remediation of the former Kerr-McGee site made Ramirez “the right fit for our community to be at the head administratively.”
Ramirez said she appreciated West Chicago’s diversity and the “varied perspectives” of city council members.
“I’ve had the benefit of visiting all the businesses in West Chicago,” Ramirez said, “and I loved the diversity of thought, the different people, the richness, and really the historical significance of West Chicago from the early days to where we are today.”