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Darien may hire an administrator instead of clerk/treasurer

DARIEN — The retiring village clerk/treasurer says she should be replaced by an administrator—someone with a degree in public administration and knowledge of village government.

“I just know things have gotten so much more complicated,” said Connie Machi, who has served as the village clerk/treasurer for more than 16 years and is retiring at the end of the year.

The Darien Village Board at its meeting Monday night will take up an ordinance to create the job description for a village administrator. But even if the board adopts the ordinance, it doesn’t mean the village will hire an administrator, said Trustee Kurt Zipp. The board still could hire a clerk/treasurer, he said.

Machi said the clerk/treasurer has a number of duties spelled out by state statutes, and those duties have changed significantly in the last 15 years.

“It’s just a different time,” she said.

Machi said village board members are part-time and often don’t have the time or the experience to dig deep into issues that come before the board. A village administrator would take direction from the village board and do the research, she said.

“I think that’s what the village needs,” she said. “They need to have someone to spearhead the finding out of facts.”

Zipp said the village board contacted a company that recruits people qualified for public administration jobs.

“We didn’t feel that our expertise as board members would allow us to really properly evaluate applicants,” he said. “We don’t have anyone on the board who has a ton of expertise in village administration.”

But the village first needs an ordinance outlining the job, Zipp said. The recruitment process takes about four months, and it’s only five months until Machi leaves, so the village must act quickly, he said.

Village President Robert Metzner said hiring a village administrator could cost the village a lot of money. He sees little difference between a clerk/treasurer and an administrator.

“It’s just the title,” he said. “It looks better, and it costs more.”

Metzner said the village probably could find a well-qualified person to fill the clerk/treasurer position at a lower cost.

“When they’ve got the background, they don’t need the additional title and pay,” he said.

Zipp disagrees.

“The administrator would be the go-to person for the village, and all supervisors, all staff, all departments would report to them,” he said.

Each department and its supervisor and staff now report to the village board.

“I feel we are not capable as a board to manage the day-to-day needs of the village because it can’t wait until next month sometimes (when the board meets),” Zipp said.

Although a village administrator would cost more, Zipp said it could save money.

“In the opinion of the recruiter, in his experience, a village administrator makes up that difference very quickly just by consolidation and efficiency…”

Zipp said the village board should decide within a month whether to hire a village administrator or a clerk/treasurer. He said the position must be filled to give Machi 30 to 60 days to work with the person before she leaves.

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IF YOU GO

What: Darien Village Board meeting.

When: 7 p.m. Monday.

Where: Darien Village Hall, 20 N. Wisconsin St., Darien.