Former Huntley Village Manager David Johnson returns to the position after nine months away

Former Huntley Village Manager David Johnson returned to his post as village manager last week after resigning in March 2020 to accept a position as chief operating officer at Aurora University.

Johnson took over as village manager on Jan. 15, replacing interim village manager Lisa Armour who has returned to her post as deputy village manager, according to the village website and comments made during a Huntley Village Board meeting Jan. 14.

"I know he's looking forward to coming back and we're looking forward to having him," Mayor Chuck Sass said in the meeting.

Johnson began working with the village in July 1998 as community development director, according to reporting by the Northwest Herald. He continued to serve the village for the nearly all of the next two decades, barring a brief stint working in Channahon in 2004.

He became village manager of Huntley in April 2008 and remained in the position until March 6, 2020, when he filed his letter of resignation with the village.

Huntley village board members voted unanimously to welcome him back to the village last week.

"(I am) obviously grateful and thankful for the opportunity to be back and to work with a great team," Johnson said. "There's some exciting and significant projects for the community that are on the horizon. I look forward to partnering with everybody to continue to move some of those through our process and ultimately benefit the community."

A few of the village's trustees and the mayor publicly thanked Armour for her dedication in filling the role in Johnson's absence.

On behalf of the village, Sass presented Armour with an official "certification of appreciation" for a job well done.

Sass thanked her for stepping in as interim village manager "without hesitation during these unprecedented times," adding she did "an outstanding job."

Johnson's new contract contained a few changes from his previous one, according to village records. He is now guaranteed six months of severance pay rather than nine months, but saw an increase in his total compensation package by about $37,000.

His annual salary grew from $178,668 to $197,500 and now contains just under $15,000 in "allowances," which include a monthly $500 allowance if Johnson chooses to use his own car for village matters, records show. He also has the option of using a village-owned vehicle which would be available to him for personal and professional use.