Lemont Village Administrator Leaving for Position in Wisconsin

Lemont Village Administrator Ben Wehmeier will leave his position next month to become the new county administrator for Jefferson County in Wisconsin.

Wehmeier, who has served as village administrator since 2010, was officially hired by the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. He informed Mayor Brian Reaves of the move earlier this month, and will continue to serve through the end of June.

In a phone interview Thursday, Wehmeier said he is looking forward to moving back to his native Wisconsin.

"It was a hard decision because I've loved working in Lemont, but I think it's an exciting opportunity for my family to be able to move back home and also for me professionally," Wehmeier said.

Wehmeier has served the village of Lemont in various capacities, beginning as an administrative intern in 2004 and rising through the ranks to become village administrator in January 2010.

Prior to his time in Lemont, Wehmeier served in the Army, and he continues to serve the Illinois National Guard. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a master's degree in management from Webster University, and both a juris doctor and master's in public management from Northern Illinois University.

In his new position, he will be in charge of more than 500 Jefferson County employees and will oversee a $70 million budget.

The Watertown Daily Times reported that Wehmeier was selected from a pool of 55 candidates. He attended the county board meeting Tuesday, when supervisors unanimously approved his contract and $113,000 starting salary.

He will officially start his new position July 1, according to the Daily Union.

"I really appreciate the trust you've put in me in taking this appointed position," Wehmeier said during the meeting. "To the rest of the county board members, I look forward to meeting you as we move forward in doing the work of the people of Jefferson County. I'm looking forward to coming on board and leading us forward, and if you have anything to say, I'm "open door' all the time."

Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves said he is disappointed to lose Wehmeier as a village administrator, but is excited to see him take on a new challenge.

"I'm extremely sad to see him go, but I know this is a good thing for both his family and his professional advancement," Reaves said. "We've always known that we were lucky to have someone of his caliber, and we're just happy to have had him as long as we did. He'll always have a home in Lemont."

Reaves said the Lemont village board will begin discussing his replacement in closed session during a committee of the whole meeting Monday night. Although he hopes to select a new administrator by the time Wehmeier leaves, it's doubtful he or she would be able to transition by them.

"If we hire someone who has to leave their current position, they have to give proper notice, which would make it difficult to have someone ready by the end of June," Reaves said. "We're already starting to discuss our options, so we're hoping to get someone in place as soon as possible."

In the meantime, Asst. Village Administrator George Schafer will be tapped to help Wehmeier and village staff through the transition process, Reaves said.

"Ben leaving is a big loss for us, but we have people who are more than capable of keeping things going," Reaves said. "There will be no change to village services."

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