Don Bero to earn $80,000 salary as Island Lake police chief
After two weeks on the job, Island Lake Police Chief Don Bero finally has a salary to go with his badge and rank insignia.
The village board on Thursday unanimously approved a proposal to pay Bero — now in his second stint as the town’s top cop — $80,000 a year. He’ll also receive standard employee benefits, although those weren’t disclosed during Thursday’s board meeting.
In a move that likely will save Island Lake some cash, Bero said he won’t receive health benefits from the village.
“I’m covered by another policy,” Bero told trustees before they voted.
Bero was appointed chief May 9, the same night Mayor Charles Amrich took office. He replaced William McCorkle as chief, who resigned the same day. McCorkle earned $85,738 at the time he resigned, officials said.
Bero will work without an employment contract.
Trustee Shannon Fox asked if a contract was needed, but attorney David McArdle said Bero is an at-will employee who serves at the pleasure of the mayor.
A contract, McArdle said, typically benefits the employee and not the village.
“I’m good with this, from my standpoint,” McArdle said.
That seemed to satisfy Fox, who had no other questions.
None of the other trustees had any questions or comments about Bero’s new salary.
Bero had been Island Lake’s chief from 2003 to 2005. More recently, he worked for the McHenry County sheriff’s office as a process server before retiring from that post earlier this year.
Trustees also approved pay rates for the various attorneys who will represent the village in Lake County and McHenry County circuit court and in other matters.