Long Grove has a new village manager for first time in 18 years
Long Grove has a new village manager for the first time in more than 18 years.
Gregory G. Jackson, who became Winthrop Harbor's first village administrator two years ago, was selected from 57 applicants for the top administrative spot in Long Grove. He starts July 6, with an annual base salary of $135,000.
The position has been vacant since last October, when David Lothspeich, who was hired in 2002, left Long Grove for a position in Monroe, Wisconsin.
Long Grove officials interviewed eight candidates and selected Jackson this month.
"The board felt his experience was right" for the job, Long Grove Village President Bill Jacob said. "It's just great to be at this point," he added.
Jackson previously was city manager in Highwood and county administrator in Woodford County, east of Peoria. The Highland Park resident is a Marine Corps veteran.
About four years ago, he began working with Winthrop Harbor as a public administration consultant. About two years later, he accepted an offer to become the first full-time administrator for the village on the Lake Michigan shore.
Developing an ecotourism program, broadening the village's downtown special financing district and, most recently, upgrading Winthrop Harbor's website to streamline processes for residents are among the initiatives taken during Jackson's tenure.
As a former Buffalo Grove resident, Jackson said he became familiar with Long Grove and its style of municipal operation, which includes a lean village staff and use of consultants for some services.
"It's a model I think more and more governments will go to, especially smaller governments," he said.
Jacob said Long Grove has limited staff and services and can't be compared to larger communities like Mundelein or Buffalo Grove.
"The village manager has to be a little more adaptable in that role," he said.
Jackson does not have a multiyear contract and is considered an "at-will" employee, Jacob said. That means a person can be fired at any time for any reason, except an illegal one, and the employee can leave for any or no reason without legal consequences, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Jackson said the pandemic has shown communities how to use technology to be more effective and efficient in their operations and for residents.
His first order of business will be to get a handle on village operations. He said he doesn't believe in making change for the sake of change.
"You make change where it makes sense," he said.
Jacob said the upcoming retirement of the village's longtime planner and a pending return to in-person meetings will be early considerations.