56% Raise For Addison Township Supervisor

ELMHURST, IL – The Addison Township supervisor's post is in line for a 56 percent raise after the April 1 election.

In late November, the township board unanimously voted to hike the supervisor's pay to $124,900, from $79,990.

The current supervisor is Republican Dennis Reboletti, who is facing Democrat Bobby Hernandez in the election. Republicans traditionally win in Addison Township.

According to the township's salary resolution, the position in question is now listed as "Supervisor/Highway Commissioner."

For the November election, the township board put a referendum on the ballot asking voters whether to keep the township road district. Nearly 60 percent of voters wanted to abolish it.

Before the referendum, voters were not told that passage would mean a big increase in the supervisor's salary.

Reboletti, who lost in his run for state representative in November, noted the referendum in Patch's candidate questionnaire.

"Currently, our Township Board has passed a referendum to allow the residents to decide if we should have an elected highway commissioner," Reboletti said. "This would save the salary, without a reduction in services. When it makes sense to consolidate we should."

The salary for the township's highway commissioner, Donald Holod, whose term ends in May, is $86,400. The township maintains 28 miles of roads.

According to the township's website, the supervisor's office provides a wide range of services, from general and emergency assistance to the food pantry and voter registration.

Under state law, townships must handle three functions – maintenance of roads, assessment of properties for tax purposes and distribution of "general assistance" to the poor.

In December, Patch obtained records showing that Addison Township, which includes north Elmhurst, spent only 23 percent of its $362,000 general assistance budget last year on actual assistance.

Among the overhead expenses were $198,217 for salaries and $28,859 for the township's utilities.

In Illinois, township supervisors have sole authority over general assistance.

Reboletti and Holod could not be reached for comment.

Other township elected officials are also getting raises – assessor to $143,900, from $127,980; clerk to $29,000, from $24,500; and trustee to $6,500, from $6,000. Their previous salaries stayed the same for four years, as did the supervisor's.

Addison Township is not the only local government body where a top official is poised to get a large raise.

In Bensenville, Village President Frank DeSimone, who is running unopposed in April's election, could see his pay rise to $157,000, up from $38,000. That raise will happen if voters agree to change the local form of government.