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Council reassigns finance director to report to city administrator after heated debate
Summary
The City Council approved an ordinance returning the finance director to report to the city administrator and making the administrator responsible for assigning certain finance duties. The move prompted extended discussion and at least one abstention and multiple requests for further public discussion.
The Crest Hill City Council approved an ordinance amending the city code to have the finance director report to the city administrator rather than the treasurer and to make some finance duties assignable by the city administrator.
City Attorney Mike Stiff presented the ordinance, saying it would restore the finance director's reporting relationship to the pre-September 2022 arrangement and move an enumerated set of duties under the administrator's authority. Stiff said he drafted the ordinance at the interim city administrator's direction and at the request of council members.
The item prompted substantial discussion from council members who said they had not been consulted fully before the matter was placed on the agenda. Several members said they wished for a work session or executive-session briefing before a final vote. Council members cited past changes in reporting structure and the desire to avoid repeatedly shifting responsibilities between elected officials and staff.
Alderman Mark Sapidi said he would vote no and asked for more time to discuss; one council member (Dorel Jefferson) registered an abstention. Council ultimately approved the ordinance by roll-call vote; the clerk read a tally of votes and the mayor declared the ordinance passed (Ordinance 2022 on the record).
Council members and the city attorney said the change aligns with common municipal practice in Illinois, where department heads typically report to a full-time city manager or administrator, while elected officials provide oversight through reports and hearings. Several council members asked for an explicit conversation with the newly arrived city administrator and suggested scheduling a work session to allow fuller discussion.
Distinction of action: The ordinance is a formal change to the city code. Debate at the meeting focused on process and transparency; several council members requested additional forums for discussion even while the vote proceeded.
