Burr Ridge will have a change in administrative leadership this summer.
Longtime village administrator Steve Stricker will retire at the end of the June and be replaced by community development director Doug Pollock.
Stricker will get four months’ salary and accrued benefits as part of his retirement package. His contract had called for six months’ pay upon retirement, but an agreed-upon addendum to his contract shortening that package was unanimously approved Monday by the Village Board.
Stricker, 59, who has been with the village 27 years, said he plans to do a lot of fly fishing and hiking “while I am still young enough to do it.”
Village Trustee Al Paveza, who has work with Stricker the longest of any elected official, said the village administrator has done an admirable job leading the community.
“We say Burr Ridge is a special place and I think one of the reasons is the stewardship of Steve over the years, to point us in that direction,” Paveza said. “One of the reasons Burr Ridge is in the condition it’s in is because of Steve’s stewardship and that fact that he helped us put together a tremendous staff.”
Village officials cited that the action is mutually beneficial to both the village and Stricker as his retirement comes at the end of his existing employment contract and at a time when he had the requisite years of service to retire under the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund requirements.
Village officials said they will save more than $114,000 per year in salary and benefits as Pollock will start at a lower salary than Stricker, who earns $178,000, and the village will not hire a community development director to replace Pollock. Instead, the village will bring on a lower-paid assistant to the administrator/planner.
Pollock’s contract, including his salary, will be finalized by the new Village Board, with two new members seated after the April 4 elections, but Stricker said that $145,000 has been budgeted for the new administrator’s pay.
An assistant to the administrator will likely be paid $73,000 to $77,000, depending on experience, Stricker said. The community development director’s current salary is $129,500.
Stricker noted that his contract was designed to expire at the same time the mayor’s term ended in April, but trustees wanted him to stay on longer to aid in the transition.
He said the timing works well for everyone involved.
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“I am happy, the board is happy, Doug is happy, and the staff doesn’t have to worry about a new village administrator coming in,” Stricker said. “The residents know Doug and how he is going to handle things.”
Pollock, who has been with the village for 21 years, said he is appreciative of the support he has gotten from residents, elected officials and Stricker.
Village officials said they are excited to have Pollock, who already knows the village so well, stepping in to replace Stricker.
“His attention to detail is magnificent and he will be an excellent fit as village administrator,” village Trustee Guy Franzese said. “The person we hire to be the new assistant to the administrator/planner will have big shoes to fill.”
Kevin Beese is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press