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MANTENO – Manteno Mayor Annette LaMore acquiesced with the majority on the approval of two of the three department head contracts at Monday’s village board meeting, ones that she vetoed at the previous meeting.
LaMore decided to go ahead and appoint Jim Hanley as superintendent of public works and Alan Swinford as chief of police. Both Hanley and Swinford are currently in their positions.
Choice Party trustees Joe Gesky, Todd Crockett, CJ Boudreau and Annette Zimbelman had the votes to override the veto if it would’ve been necessary. The board unanimously approved those two appointments.
“I think they’re doing a fantastic job, and I’m very happy with what they’re doing,” LaMore said after the meeting.
The board also approved the appointment of Chris LaRocque as village administrator 4-2 to override the mayor’s veto. Gesky, Crockett, Boudreau and Zimbelman voted for the appointment, while Mike Barry and Peggy Vaughn voted against.
LaRocque’s contract will be amended at the June 2 meeting to reflect that $30,000 of his salary of $162,974 is a stipend for also doing the job of building and zoning director.
“Regarding Mr. LaRocque’s contract, I think what I heard from the board is that we think he is doing a good job,” Crockett said. “There’s just some clarifications that need to be made with the contract.”
The board voted 5-0 with one abstention to approve LaMore’s appointment of Louis Hupe to fill the vacancy on the planning commission created when Zimbelman was appointed by previous Mayor Tim Nugent to the village board. Boudreau abstained.
Zimbelman was appointed to replace Wendell Phillips, who resigned in April for health reasons.
Appointment delayed
LaMore’s appointment of Bob Husum to the police commission was voted down 4-2, as Gesky, Crockett, Boudreau and Zimbelman voted against.
Boudreau explained he wanted to know more about Husum before voting for him.
“I don’t want to vote on someone I don’t know,” he said.
LaMore can bring the appointment of Husum back up for vote at the next meeting on June 2. She said she understood that some of the board members would like to meet him before approving the appointment.
“I know him, and he’s a retired Chicago police officer,” she said. “He’s a good man, and he just wants to help. So I’ll bring him back again.”