Campton Hills trustees override veto, approve finance-services contract and make finance appointments

Campton Hills — The Village Board voted Feb. 3 to override the village president's veto of a resolution authorizing a contract with Lauterbach & Amen for professional finance services, setting in motion a multi-month transition of treasury functions and several related appointments.

Trustees debated the contract's scope and cost at length before the roll call. Trustee Mike O'Dwyer, who led the motion to override, said the village needed professional financial management after audit findings and a large budget gap. "If we don't if we don't do this, I am done," he told the board, arguing the firm would provide accountability and processes the village currently lacks. Opponents raised concerns that the contract was supervisory rather than hands-on, questioned the monthly fee and multiyear commitment, and warned a budget amendment may be required.

Legal counsel explained that if the board overrides the president's veto the resolution stands and authorizes the village to execute the agreement; trustees also discussed negotiating terms before execution. The board recorded a majority vote to override the veto (one trustee opposed).

Immediately after the override, trustees approved several finance-related appointments. The board appointed Michael O'Dwyer to the finance committee and selected him as finance committee chair; trustees emphasized that the finance committee should receive bank statements (account numbers may be redacted) to perform its working reviews.

The board also gave advice and consent to the village president's appointment of Patsy Smith as village treasurer. Smith had urged caution about changing the organization chart without checking statutory duties and offered to serve as interim treasurer to help "see you through this stint to get things righted," she said during public comment. Trustees debated compensation and the relationship between an appointed treasurer and any contracted firm. The appointment passed by roll call.

Trustees and staff said the Lauterbach & Amen agreement is intended to provide oversight, audit support and financial reporting; critics said the contract as presented was focused on review rather than day-to-day processing (payroll, reconciliations), and predicted the village would still need in-house clerical work even after contracting.

The board directed staff and trustees to identify contract concerns to negotiate adjustments if necessary and to prepare for a transition that could include a Lauterbach-supplied individual serving as the statutory treasurer when the parties and the president agree on a candidate. Trustees said they hoped to have personnel recommendations and clearer timelines in the coming weeks ahead of the budget cycle.

Votes at a glance: the motion to override the veto passed by a recorded majority (one recorded no); the appointments of Michael O'Dwyer to the finance committee and as chair and the advice-and-consent appointment of Patsy Smith as village treasurer all passed.

The board also discussed but postponed finalizing who, if anyone, would serve as budget officer in the near term; a separate item on appointing a budget officer was moved for later review.