The former East Dundee village administrator and current assistant village administrator have been censured and expelled from the International City/County Managers Association for ethics code violations.
Jennifer Johnson, who was replaced this month as village administrator, and Assistant Village Administrator Brad Mitchell were cited Tuesday for entering into a romantic relationship that was disclosed to the village board only after an anonymous letter about it became public.
A public censure and expulsion from the organization is the most severe sanction available to the association’s executive board, an association news release said.
East Dundee Village President Jeff Lynam lauded the group’s action. “From my standpoint, they got it right,” he said. “(Johnsen and Mitchell) broke the ethics rules of the ICMA and the ICMA based on their rules acted appropriately.”
Lynam terminated Johnsen, who now goes by the name Jennifer Ramsay, in June, but his action was overturned two weeks later by village trustees, who voted to return Ramsay to her position. The board opted later to hire a new administrator because Johnsen’s contract had expired.
The association’s ethics guidelines specifically state “members should not engage in an intimate or romantic relationship with any elected official or board appointee, employee they report to, one they appoint and/or supervise, either directly or indirectly within the organization.”
In its release, the association noted that “when a manager engages in a romantic relationship with a subordinate employee, it runs contrary to the manager’s ethical duty to maintain public confidence in the position and in the local government management profession, as well as the manager’s responsibility to mitigate the organization’s exposure to legal and financial risks.”
And while East Dundee’s personnel policy does not specifically prohibit employees from fraternizing, that does not make it right, the board said.
It also noted that while Ramsay acknowledged her relationship with Mitchell in a letter to East Dundee staff, she was not as forthcoming about it with trustees until a letter circulated during the April elections disclosed the relationship.
The relationship “created the opportunity to strain the effective working relationships” between Mitchell, who headed the village’s human resources operations, and employees who reported to him, the board said. It further noted the relationship created a situation that caused the appearance of preferential treatment of Mitchell.
A spokesperson for the ICMA could not be reached for additional comment. The ICMA is a worldwide professional organization for city and county managers and other government employees, which provides member support, training and professional development.
Mitchell remains employed by the village and has been on leave since the birth of his and Ramsay’s child in October. Ramsay did not return phone calls or texts seeking comment and Mitchell could not be reached for comment.
Earlier this month, East Dundee village trustees appointed former Evanston City Manager Ericka Storlie to replace Ramsay, whose contract expired at the end of April.
When reached by phone Tuesday, Storlie said she was aware of the association’s action but declined further comment.
Village Trustee Kathleen Mahony said Tuesday that board members have asked Storlie to review the village’s personnel policy and make recommendations for any needed changes.
Trustees also are considering outsourcing human resources operations and adding more “checks and balances” within the administration, she said.
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Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.