A proposal that would change the village clerk position in Clarendon Hills from an elected post to one that would be appointed by the mayor will appear on the ballot Nov. 3 in the form of a referendum question.
If successful, the change would take effect in May 2027.
Officials last put the question to voters in 2022, when it failed to win the support of a majority of voters. That referendum was narrowly defeated, with 51% of voters opposed and 49% approving the move.
Village Manager Paul Dalen said current Village Clerk Lynn Dragisic does not intend to seek re-election when her term expires in May 2027. Village staff recommended putting the referendum on the Nov. 3 election ballot.
“Should the referendum pass, future village clerk vacancies would be filled by appointment by the (village) president, with the advice and consent of the Board of Trustees, rather than elected,” Dalen said.
He said village staff determined that the village clerk duties could be absorbed by current staff members.
“The assistant village manager would likely be appointed as village clerk to do the minutes and roll call for meetings,” he said, “Unlike other paid positions within the village, Illinois state statute requires a referendum be approved to allow for the position to be appointed and to distribute the statutory duties of the position among staff.”
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Dawn Tandle was village clerk from 2002 to 2023, initially being appointed to fill an unexpired term and then being voted to the position for four five-year terms. She decided to not seek re-election in 2023 and Dragisic was subsequently elected to the role.
Mera Johnson, assistant village manager, said though the village clerk role is mainly to be record keeper for the village, Tandle spent a significant amount of time in her office at Village Hall, an average of 10 hours a week. At that time, the village clerk was paid more than $15,000 annually.
When Tandle’s term ended, most of her duties were passed to executive assistant Vicki Pries, who is the deputy clerk, Johnson said. Pries received a “$2,500 salary bump when she took on Dawn’s additional duties,” Johnson said.
She said when Dragisic took office the village clerk’s compensation was reduced to $5,000, and she handles the minutes for Village Board meetings and is the secretary for the Fire Pension Board.
If the referendum passes, “those are the duties I would be taking on, and since I’m already at the meetings and am a salary employee, this should result in some savings for the village,” Johnson said. “The clerk position has become increasingly difficult to fill, as residents have busy lives and sometimes want to participate more in the process by giving their opinions.”
The village clerk does not currently have an office at Village Hall, and does not vote on measures at board meetings, Johnson said.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.