Campton Hills trustees discuss code fixes to match organization chart, debate CEO/administrator roles

Campton Hills trustees discussed corrections and amendments to the village code to align it with a revised organization chart, focusing on the administrator's duties, appointment and removal procedures, and the president's practical role.

Trustees said the current code and the practical duties performed by administrators have diverged. One trustee asked that the code clearly state whether the president exercises supervisory authority or whether supervision is vested in the administrator, citing municipal practice and state statute ambiguity.

Trustees proposed clarifying the treasurer role so it functions as a "maker/checker" arrangement with the accounting firm performing the day-to-day work and the appointed treasurer acting as the checker of that work. They also suggested the code should restate state removal procedures where applicable and clarify that the administrator's removal is not covered by statute and therefore may need explicit local language.

Several trustees recommended preparing amendments grouped by topic (one large ordinance or several targeted ones), and asked staff and counsel to check engagement letters and past contracts that defined administrator responsibilities. The board discussed using a job description and prior engagement letters to craft code language.

Trustees agreed more legal research and preparatory work should be done before finalizing code amendments; a designated working session or meeting may be scheduled to vet legal opinions and specific wording.

No final ordinance was adopted that evening; trustees asked staff to prepare drafts and legal analysis for subsequent meetings.