Excerpts from patch.com:
Clarendon Hills’ elected officials have been silent on the status of Village Manager Kevin Barr for the last two weeks. But his continued employment appears to be in question. Some residents have pointed to comments during a recent meeting of a village board committee meeting as possibly contributing to the situation.
Barr has been on personal leave for a couple of weeks. Last Wednesday, the village board held a more than two-hour closed session on an employee’s situation, but trustees would not identify the employee. On Monday night, the board is set to vote on an employment agreement with Barr.
At the Jan. 12 Public Safety Committee, officials discussed the possibility of buying a new ladder truck for the fire department, which is expected to cost $1.4 million. The price of such trucks has escalated in the last year, with the village originally budgeting $1 million. Barr has talked about the possibility of sharing a ladder truck with neighboring towns to reduce costs. But firefighters, including Chief Brian Leahy, say the village needs the truck. During the committee meeting, Barr made at least two references to the long time that Leahy has been with the fire department. According to Leahy’s LinkedIn page, he joined the department in the 1970s.
When officials were discussing fatal fires over the years, Leahy said his recollection was that the village fought a fatal fire a dozen years ago or maybe longer. “But not 1930,” Barr said, adding, “I’m sorry you were there.” Others laughed.
Later in the meeting, they were discussing the efficiencies in law enforcement services over time. “Dispatch is a fantastic example,” Barr said. “It’s a million times better and more efficient than it was, Brian, back in 1930, right?” Others could be heard chuckling.
Near the end of the meeting, Leahy said a number of firefighters had tested positive for the coronavirus. Barr said the situation would likely worsen over the next three weeks. “You didn’t give it to everybody, did you, Roger? It’s either you or me,” Barr said, referring to Assistant Fire Chief Roger Krupp.
Barr has prohibited Leahy from speaking with the media on most issues. Within about a week of the meeting, Barr started his leave.
thanks Scott
