Lakewood Hires Jeannine Smith as Chief Administrative Officer

Jeannine Smith

Former Prairie Grove Village Administrator Jeannine Smith was hired on a 5-1 vote as Chief Administrative Officer by the Lakewood Village Board last night.

She will be paid $138,900 per year.

Smith serviced Prairie Grove for nine years.

Previously, she was the economic development person in West Dundee for five years.

Smith was the only person presented to the Board by Village President Paul Serwatka.

He described her as being “head and shoulders my favorite candidate…my only candidate.”

Trustee Jason McMahon said, “I’m torn on this.  Her resume looks great.  Her recommendations looks great [but] we weren’t given anything to compare here.”

The Lakewood Village Board meeting started late because the Board was considering Jeannine Smith’s appointment in Executive Session.

Rick Ritchie seconded that thought.

“President Serwatka did not reach out to all Board members.

“The Board really had no input.

“I’m very reluctant to vote on this tonight.  I’d like to table this tonight.”

Paul Serwatka

In rebuttal, Serwatka said, “There are Trustees that don’t like the fact that I have additional discretion in hiring.

“This is the sort of retribution thing to me personally.

“When I spoke to officers in the Village of Prairie Grove, they had nothing bad to say.”

In touted the proposed contract as a “zero risk contract.”

It would run only until April of next year.

“We’re not stuck with her for four years or forced to write a check for $70,000,”

(Six months severance seems to be typical in city manager contracts.)

Carl Davis agreed with McMahon.

“It would have been useful to have seen the other resumes.

“I’m convinced she can do the job.:

Lakewood Village Board

Serwatka asked, “Do you see a shortcoming with her?

“It’s about transparency,” McMahon interjected, “letter [the Trustees know].

“This is the last time I will ever vote on employment without more than one candidate.”

Amy Odom, participating via phone, expressed her concern as being “would we have been better off if five or six of the Board members had been in the interview?

“Advice and consent is a misnomer.

“I wish there had been more [input].

Serwatka noted that the opportunity was offered to four trustees, but “only two took me up.”

Rick Ritchie asked why there could not have been three meetings with two Trustees at each interview.

When the vote was taken, only Ritchie voted, “No.”

Smith is a former Lake in the Hills Village Trustee and ran for State Representative as a Democrats against me in 1998.


Comments

Lakewood Hires Jeannine Smith as Chief Administrative Officer — 18 Comments

  1. Please pardon the what-about-ism, but I can’t resist.

    Jack Franks hires staff – “OMG THE WORLD IS BURNING”
    Serwatka hires staff – “Nothing to seeee here.”

    Verrrryyyyyy Innnnnteresting

  2. I don’t know Jeanine and she may be very qualified but when the Village (Prairie Grove) that gave her such a glowing recommendation needs a Village Administrator themselves….

    why is she not still there?

    A few minutes of on line public record research shows that Prairie Grove voted unanimously to terminate her contract early (and pay penalty) to get rid of her.

    I’ll presume the Lakewood board knows more about this termination and why this was the best and only candidate because I’m having a hard time believing that.

  3. There is the big difference:

    Serwatka is not charged with violating Municipal Code or formal Admin Policy.

    Franks hired 2 of his campaign employees for non-existent job descriptions, without posting job openings, and in contravention of Salary Administration Policy, and in violation of County Code.

    The McHenry County Human Resources Director was put at risk of her job, being given a choice of violating County Code and signing off on improper job descriptions without proper protocol followed in December 2016, or not signing off and risking reprisal by County Board Chair and County Administrator.

    The Transportation Director was forced to ‘make work’ (or at least the appearance of such) so that half of one patronage job salary could be paid without violating Illinois Constitution (Transportation Fund funds may not be diverted for any expense other than transportation).

    Finally, McHenry County taxpayers remain at risk of applicants for any County jobs seeking equitable and equal treatment as described by Federal Fair Hiring Practice Policy:

    while we all may “know” that these ‘patronage hirings’ were ‘Illinois business as usual”, only a jury may decide whether bigotry of some sort was not the real reasion that some people get fast-tracked into good jobs, while others who play by the posted rules are denied jobs.

  4. Cal, this article isn’t clear. Was Smith present for the board to interview?

    At this meeting?

    There should have been a closed session where the board had time to meet and go over her resume and credentials and have a question and answer session with Smith, as well as a discussion amongst themselves.

    If Smith was present and this opportunity was given to board members, then I don’t see the problem here.

    If Smith was not present to afford board members this opportunity then I certainly understand their concerns.

  5. Why was this job not posted publicly?

    How many applicants were considered?

    Did the board have any notice?

    Wee there any meetings held to alert the taxpayer?

    A 150,000 salary sure warrants additional scrutiny.

    What a joke!!!

  6. As was explained to residents, this this job was in fact posted very publicly in several statewide municipal and private-sector job boards.

    Several board members and staff had the opportunity to individually meet and (pre)-interview the candidate prior to the legally published/noticed executive session/full board interview.

    The public hearing regarding this hiring was deliberated and voted upon in the regular public meeting that followed as per the legally published agenda.

  7. **Serwatka noted that the opportunity was offered to four trustees, but “only two took me up.”**

    Why did Serwatka only offer the opportunity to four of the trustees, and not all of them?

  8. Serwatka is at it again by not getting ALL of the trustees involved in the hiring process and by not publically posting this position for competitive evaluation.

    This guy only knows how to be a dictator, not a leader.

    I feel sorry for these trustees.

    They all showed good judgment with their quotes that questioned Serwatka’s approach and lack of transparency.

  9. Why can’t Serwatka hire somebody to rid us of Jack Franks?

    Call him (or her) The McHenry County Liar-Catcher. I know some people who’d actually volunteer for the post

  10. Our sunshine blogger taught us a lesson of courage by risking his life while taking that incredible picture through the window of the closed executive session room. This is what real journalism looks like. Don’t you dare call him a loser and irrelevant again…unless it comes from me. Our sunshine blogger reports, you decide…tic, tock, tic, tock…

  11. What happened to our big government crisis?

    Oh well…tic, tock, tic, tock, tic, tock…

  12. There is a very simple reason why the process was handled as it was with just one candidate.

    That’s because there was probably only one candidate that applied.

    Others with any sort of professional municipal experience would not consider this an opportunity, nor would they want to work with Serwatka based on his track record.

  13. Moderate you need to understand what each elected official is and their jobs!

  14. Good news! The village of Lakewood is finally a sanctuary village…for republican big government…tic, tock, tic, tock, tic, tock…

  15. Follow up: I reviewed my earlier posting and don’t want to be misunderstood.

    My comment was not that don’t believe the Lakood board or President Serwatka when he says she was the best / only (said in a practical way) candidate.

    No criticism of the board or Serwatka, I happen to think that Serwatka’s style and approach is exactly what Lakewood needs.

    That said, I still can’t beleive (I’m surprised) that there is not more interest from qualified candidates for a $140k job, which is not saying I don’t believe President Serwatka –

    I would imaging he and the board are just as surprised as me that there are not more qualified applicants to select from.

  16. You’ve made an outstanding choice by whatever means and should be pleased with and congratulated for it.

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