Future of Park Ridge City Manager Uncertain

Park Ridge residents will have to wait until after the consolidated election to know who will be their city manager. The committee of the whole accepted the results of an extensive evaluation of Shawn Hamilton, acting city manager, and chose to leave the matter of employing a full-time city manager to the new city council, which will convene after the election on April 9.

The agreement the city has with Hamilton, who began working for Park Ridge in August 2012, expires on May 1, at which time the new city council will be seated.

Second Ward Alderman Richard DiPietro said council members requested the evaluation of the city manager, which is posted on Park Ridge’s website, in order to provide that information to the new city council after the election.

“We have the potential of three new members of the city council, we have the potential of a new mayor, so we were going to hand off these evaluations to the next council, and then let them determine what action should be taken,” DiPietro said.

The evaluation of Hamilton’s performance was conducted by the city’s human resources department, and included surveys from both elected officials and city staff, said Hamilton in an interview with Patch.

City council terminated the previous city manager, Jim Hock, in May 2012, Hamilton said, at which time Juliana Maller, assistant city manager, took on the role of acting city manager. Fifth Ward Alderman Daniel Knight said Hamilton’s evaluation was generally good.

“The comments are generally very good,” Knight said. “I think that the aldermen are pretty pleased with where we’re at, especially when you look back at where we were previous to the acting city manager’s start with us.”

First Ward Alderman Joseph Sweeney said he was concerned Hamilton could take a job elsewhere, and Park Ridge would have to find another person to fill the role.

“There are multiple city manager jobs being advertised right now; I think the acting city manager knows it,” Sweeney said.

Sweeney said he believed they should work on a contract and offer for Hamilton to become the permanent city manager.

“I think, for the job he’s done, from what we’ve learned, and what’s going on in the city and how we’ve improved leadership and directorship, we should make sure we’re going to stay with him, and not run away, or let him run away,” Sweeney said.

By making an annual agreement with Hamilton, the city would be protected, Sweeney said, from being left without a city manager.

Park Ridge, like many communities in the Chicago area, is structured with the city manager at the center of operations. The city manager is the only position city council hires or terminates, Hamilton said, and the role is akin to a chief executive officer of a corporation.

“I would hate to start all over again with another city manager, because our existing city manager, who we all know has got a great review and has done things has all of a sudden found another job, and was not protected by us or held by us,” Sweeney said.

Mayor David Schmidt said the terms and conditions of the original agreement with Hamilton would continue to apply after May 1 if nothing else changed. Schmidt said the May 1 date was chosen in order to give Hamilton some assurance he would not be suddenly dismissed without good reason.

“So there really is no need for an agreement at this time,” Schmidt said.

Knight said the purpose of the evaluation was more to provide information to the next city council.

“I think this was a good exercise,” Knight said. “I don’t think any action is warranted tonight, or possibly after May 6, when the council may be asking the question whether or not they want to go out and search, they’ll have some number of people that have been here to speak to this, and weigh in on whether or not a search is necessary or warranted.”

Hamilton said he appreciated both the positive comments and the constructive criticism included in the evaluation because it would help the city and him perform better. When asked if he was seeking employment elsewhere, Hamilton was diplomatically optimistic.

“I will always make decisions that will be best for my wife and my family,” Hamilton said. “I am very happy with the employees, the residents and the business community in Park Ridge, and I hope I can make this my permanent home for years to come.”