WJOL: Joliet Taxpayers Could Be On The Hook For $250K Following Interim City Manager Shell Game

Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk spoke exclusively with WJOL following the City Council 5-3 decision to enter into negotiations with former Joliet City Manager Jim Hock. Mayor O’Dekirk agreed with WJOL’s Scott Slocum that the City may have to shell out more than $250,000 to pay for Hock to work here ($215,000) and to pay a $40,000 fee to a national service to find a permanent City Manager. Slocum came up with the math, listen here.

O’Dekirk says, “it’s an exorbitant amount of money” and says he’s not sure what the plan is and the knowledge of some council members. O’Dekirk says at least council member thought the national search would cost $25,000 but the Mayor says that will be gone in about 2 weeks.

O’Dekirk says his opposition to hiring Hock is not an indication of what he and others feel about Jim Hock. He says it’s matter of taxpayer funds. He says, “for five individuals just to be throwing this money around with little regard for what the people say or their fiduciary duty that we all have, is stunning.”

A contract is being negotiated for the return of Jim Hock who could make $215,000 a year. The city council would have to vote on the contract. The next City Council meeting is Tuesday, July 16th.

Original story below

Former City Manager Jim Hock is one step closer to becoming the Interim City manager after retiring in May of 2017. The Joliet City Council last night voted 5-3 to negotiate a contract to be the city’s Interim City Manager. Hock is retired has been living in Michigan. WJOL has learned that Hock could be making $215,000 a year but may only work 6 months as a national search continues for a permanent city manager. Currently Steve Jones is the interim City Manager after council fired Marty Shanahan and he reverted back to being Corporation Counsel for the city of Joliet. Shanahan was Interim City Manager when Hock retired in 2017. Then David Hales was hired who parted ways with the City after only a year on the job. Shanahan once again stepped into the position of Interim City Manager. On June 18, 2019 the City Council voted 5-3 to fire Shanahan. Steve Jones is currently the Interim City Manager and has said he’s not interested in the job but will fill-in until either Hock is hired on an interim basis or a permanent candidate is found.