Joliet City Council Can’t Agree on City Manager

The city manager position was front and center at the Joliet City Council meeting on Tuesday night. The council is in the process of searching for a new full time city manager since October of 2018. The interim city manager Steve Jones is scheduled to retire at months end and with the city no closer to hiring a replacement the council voted 5-3 to hire Jones for the month of March on a contractual basis. The city will pay GovTemps USA $135.00 an hour for a maximum of 40 hours a week for Jones to continue in the city manager roll after he retires on February 29th. Mayor Bob O’Dekirk lashed out at the proposal stating “I think it’s unethical, it’s not illegal but it is a loophole. It’s part of the reason why the pension system in Illinois is going bankrupt, because of double dippers.” The vote on the contract saw Council persons Dickinson, Gavin, Mudron, Reardon and Turk vote to approve and Council members Hug, Morris and Quillman voting against. Mayor O’Dekirk stated that even with the council approving the contract, he would not sign the agreement. Councilman Hug asked city attorney Marty Shannahan what happens if the mayor doesn’t sign the agreement? Shannahan stated that he would have to look into it.