Manager Leaving Clarendon Hills; Another Official Assuming Role

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – Placed on leave more than a month ago, Clarendon Hills' manager is parting ways with the village.

On Monday, the Village Board is set to vote on a severance agreement with Zach Creer, who took charge in July 2023. The information came with the release of the board's agenda packet Friday morning.

Meanwhile, Paul Dalen, a former police chief, is poised to become the acting manager. He has been the village's part-time public works director since early 2024.

Then-Clarendon Hills Police Chief Paul Dalen speaks with Public Works Director Brendan McLaughlin before a Village Board meeting in February 2024. At the meeting, the retiring Dalen took a new position as part-time public safety director. On Monday, he is expected to become the acting village manager. (David Giuliani/Patch)

Under the severance agreement, Creer will get paid for another 20 weeks, amounting to nearly $70,000, and health insurance.

The pact also calls for Creer to consult with the village for $5,000 a month for the next six months, although either side can terminate that arrangement with 10 days' notice. In his new role, he would be expected to answer the village's "reasonable" questions by phone and email.

The agreement includes a non-disparaging clause, barring either side from criticizing the other. All employment references are to be directed to the village's attorney.

Upon the pact's approval, the two sides will release a joint statement saying, "Zachery Creer has decided to resign from the Village to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Creer is leaving his employment in good standing, effective October 1, 2025. The Village thanks Mr. Creer for his service and contributions and wishes him continued success."

The agreement also includes a reference letter from the village, which lists his accomplishments.

Among them, according to the village:

• Establishing a tax district to improve the 55th Street area
• Promoting mixed-use downtown developments with big returns for the village
• Creating a program that reduced downtown vacancies to 7 percent
• Getting grant money for improvements to Village Hall, $2 million for traffic safety upgrades and $250,000 for stormwater improvements
• Overseeing the transition of the fire department, including an overhaul of training and response within the department
• Putting together fiscally responsible budgets that let the village lessen taxpayers' burden. That effort included the elimination of vehicle stickers and the passage of tax levy increases below the inflation rate.

Through a public records request earlier this week, Patch reported that Village President Eric Tech put Creer on leave on Aug. 5, a fact that the village had kept under wraps.

Tech and Creer have not responded to repeated messages. The village has not indicated what Tech's issue was with Creer.

Under Dalen's agreement, he will get paid $7,100 twice a month.

In early 2024, Dalen, who is receiving a police pension, was hired for what the village called the "temporary" part-time position of public works director, paying Dalen $85 an hour.

A few minutes before the village released its agenda Friday, Dalen, who has been with the village for more than three decades, emailed village employees. He alerted them to Creer's severance agreement and his pending appointment as acting manager until a replacement is found.

Word was already getting out that Dalen was under consideration. A week ago, Patch emailed Assistant Village Manager Mera Johnson about whether Dalen would become acting manager. She did not respond.

Clarendon Hills is not new to such turbulence at Village Hall.

In early 2022, then-Village Manager Kevin 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.

Barr retired in mid-2023.