Clarendon Hills Official Put On Leave

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – Clarendon Hills Village Manager Zach Creer was placed on leave more than a month ago, which the village has kept under wraps from the public.

On Tuesday, Patch obtained a mostly redacted Aug. 5 memo from the village's attorney, Jason Guisinger, to Creer. It came from the village in response to a two-week-old public records request.

The memo was titled, "Summary of Our Conversation Today/Notice of Paid Leave."

"Zach, thank you again for your time earlier today. I have been directed by President (Eric) Tech to advise you of the following," said Guisinger, a partner with the Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins law firm.

The village blacked out nearly all the rest of the two-page memo. At one point, the lawyer wrote, "You are placed on paid (redacted) leave effective immediately."

With the redacted word, the village kept secret what type of leave it imposed on Creer. Typically, towns reveal that information. Nearly three years ago, Clarendon Hills did so in response to Patch's records request. At the time, then-Village President Len Austin placed Village Manager Kevin Barr on administrative leave.

In its letter to Patch, the village justified the redactions with several exceptions under the state's public records law — personal information, preliminary drafts and communications between a public body and its lawyer.

Patch also sought documentation on whether Creer had been disconnected from the village's computer network or email, as happened to Barr. The village did not answer that part of the request.

Asked about those records, the village's deputy clerk, Vicki Pries, said Tuesday the village had no documents indicating that Creer lost access.

In early 2022, Barr was placed on leave for two weeks because of a job issue. Public documents later showed that officials misled residents about what happened. Patch pinpointed the falsehoods.

In Barr's case, Austin, not an attorney, informed the manager about his leave. Barr retired in mid-2023.

Here's a copy of Aug. 5 memo from village attorney Jason Guisinger to Village Manager Zach Creer: