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Sleepy Hollow board asks attorney to draft ordinance to allow hiring a village administrator
Summary
Trustees heard a presentation from retired administrator Brad Townsend on how a village administrator differs from a manager, discussed costs and duties, and asked the village attorney to prepare a draft ordinance for consideration on Jan. 6.
A majority of the Sleepy Hollow Board of Trustees agreed at its Dec. 16 meeting to ask the village attorney to draft an ordinance that would allow the village to hire a village administrator, after a presentation and follow-up questions about the role’s duties and costs.
Retired municipal administrator Brad Townsend, introduced by the board, told trustees a village administrator can provide day-to-day continuity, manage intergovernmental relationships and assist with budgeting, contracts and grant awareness. "A manager should always have a good relationship with the village clerk," Townsend said, arguing that an on-site administrator would free elected officials to focus on long-range issues.
Trustees pressed Townsend on grant-writing and local hiring. Townsend said grant writing is "probably a rarity" for administrators but that a good administrator must be "grant aware" and know which agencies to contact. He also recommended tailoring a skills checklist to Sleepy Hollow rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all profile.
Board members discussed sustainability and cost. One trustee said, "I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of us spending a $130,000 on a village administrator," voicing concern about affordability in a largely residential village with a limited commercial tax base. The board discussed options that include trial or part-time arrangements, recruiting through professional associations, or hiring an experienced retiree who may require fewer benefits.
After discussion the board agreed to ask Village Attorney Shuster to prepare a draft ordinance and specifications; trustees set a target to review a draft at their Jan. 6 meeting. The motion to request the ordinance passed with no objection.
Next steps: the attorney will prepare a draft ordinance and a job/specification template for trustee review on Jan. 6; trustees indicated they will tailor the final profile to Sleepy Hollow’s needs.
