Closed-Door Debate Leads to Walkout at Village Board Meeting

An executive session debate over personnel at Monday night’s Village Board meeting grew heated, according to sources, and led to one trustee angrily walking out.

Trustees spent roughly 100 minutes behind closed doors Monday—much longer than the public portion of the meeting—discussing personnel matters related to the 2012 budget, due to take effect May 1.

According to sources, the discussion involved mechanic positions in the public works department. Specifically, sources said, trustees argued over whether to promote an existing employee or hire more mechanics to work on the village’s fleet of vehicles.

Near the end of the executive session, Trustee Pete Heinz, a 23-year veteran of the board, stormed out of the meeting room, grabbed his coat and left Village Hall. On the way out, he expressed his displeasure with his fellow board members.

Heinz did not discuss the executive session but said he had never left a meeting early before. He reiterated Tuesday his unhappiness with the way the discussion went.

Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura would not reveal details of the executive session, and had no comment on the actions of the trustees.

Monday night found the Village Board discussing the 2012 budget for the second time. The budget is scheduled for approval at the end of April, and several more public conversations will take place before then.