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Villa Park board appoints Michael Rivas as village manager; approves separation agreement for former manager and replaces village attorney
Summary
On June 9 the Village Board of Trustees swore in Michael Rivas as village manager, approved a separation and release agreement with outgoing manager Matthew C. Harline and consented to the manager's removal of the previous village attorney firm; the board also approved retention and compensation for a new firm.
The Village of Villa Park on June 9 swore in Michael Rivas as village manager and approved several related personnel and legal changes following executive-session deliberations.
Michael Rivas took the oath of office during the meeting and was introduced by Village President Kevin Patrick. At the podium after the swearing-in, Manager Michael Rivas said he is committed to village staff and to finding practical solutions, noting, "I will always be approachable. We'll always work towards, finding solutions to issues and problems." The board later approved an employment agreement for Rivas that includes edits agreed in executive session: annual salary increases tied to the greater of CPI and annual department head raises; a December schedule for annual evaluations beginning December 2025; quarterly executive-session status meetings on implementation of board policy objectives; and mutual goal-setting concurrent with the annual evaluation.
Separately, the board approved a separation and release agreement with former Village Manager Matthew C. Harline after discussing the item in executive session. The resolution to approve the separation passed on a roll-call vote after the meeting resumed in open session.
The board also took action on village legal representation. The board consented to the village manager's removal of the prior village attorney firm, Storino Romello & Durkin, and then approved a resolution establishing compensation for a new firm, Montana & Welch. The board subsequently approved an employment agreement for the village attorney to be executed consistent with the terms read into the record.
All of those personnel and legal actions followed the meeting's executive-session discussion of personnel and real-estate matters, items the board said required private deliberation before public action. President Kevin Patrick opened the meeting's executive session citing Illinois Open Meetings Act sections for personnel, litigation and purchase or lease of real property; the board reconvened and voted on the measures in open session.
Votes and procedures: the packet and minutes show the votes occurred by roll call after executive session; the employment agreement for Rivas and the resolution to retain Montana & Welch were approved by majority roll-call votes, and the separation agreement for Harline passed by roll call. The precise roll-call tallies are recorded in the official minutes.
The actions end a period of transition at village leadership that begun earlier this month and that residents mentioned repeatedly during public comment. The board said it will move forward with the new manager and legal representation and will return to the board for further approvals where required.
No further personnel items were voted on at the meeting without explicit board action.
