Clock's ticking on Elgin police chief's deadline to take buyout

The clock is still ticking for Lisa Womack.

Elgin's first woman police chief has until 5 p.m. today to accept a buyout or severance offer from the city, otherwise City Manager Sean Stegall has the authority to fire her.

The city council Wednesday night met behind closed doors for about 50 minutes to discuss "personnel matters," presumably Womack's employment at the city.

She was placed on paid leave after a closed-door council meeting on March 10.

Under federal anti-age discrimination law, Womack has 21 days to ponder a possible severance agreement with the city, and another week after signing it to reconsider.

City leaders expected a response Wednesday, but apparently the deadline is at 5 p.m. today.

"Lisa (Womack) is still the chief of police," Stegall said.

For legal reasons, Stegall and other council members have said they can't comment specifically on Womack's situation or performance.

Deputy Chief Jeff Swoboda has served as the department's acting chief.

Womack, who was set to make $150,687 this year, could not be reached for comment and it was unclear whether she had an attorney to speak for her. She also has put her Elgin home on the market.

According to records provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, Womack spent more and more time attending "conferences/meetings" after she started in Elgin on Aug. 1, 2005. In 2006, she logged 21 days at conferences; by 2009, that number had reached 32 eight-hour days, records show.

To her credit, Womack took only four sick hours during her 41/2 years with the city.

She also received three weeks of vacation a year from the city but never took it in a weeklong chunk, preferring to take Fridays and some Mondays off.

Womack became the city's first female police chief in August 2005 after a national search.

She previously was chief in Sugar Land, Texas, a Houston suburb with a population of 85,000. She began her career in Arlington, Texas, where she was named deputy chief in 2001.

Deadline: Chief took only four sick hours in 41/2 years