Second Campton Hills employee put on paid leave

On the heels of its police chief being placed on paid leave, a second Campton Hills village employee was put on paid administrative leave Wednesday, Village President Barbara Wojnicki said.

Officials sent executive assistant Dorothea Stipetic home after she was involved in a heated verbal argument with a village hall contractor over a battery for her computer mouse, Wojnicki said.

The employee will be back to work Monday, Wojnicki said.

The incident started when a contractor installing a new village hall air conditioning system had a key to Police Chief Stephen Millar's office, Wojnicki said.

Millar was placed on paid leave July 6 pending a state police investigation, officials said.

"The contractor was able to get a key to get into the chief's office. She had permission to be in there," Wojnicki said.

Stipetic did not respond to an email or voicemail message seeking comment. She was introduced to the village board at an April 5, 2022 meeting as the executive assistant to Village Administrator Denise Burchard.

Wojnicki called a special meeting for 6 p.m. Friday. The agenda calls for action following a closed session on two personnel issues.

One is to act on a human resources matter and the other is to approve the appointment of Sgt. James Levand as interim police chief while Millar is on leave.

Millar's attorney Matt McQuaid issued a statement saying the claims against the chief that led to a state police investigation are "unsubstantiated and politically motivated."