CLARENDON HILLS, IL – Clarendon Hills and its longtime fire chief struck a severance deal Tuesday, in which he is set to get $50,000.
Chief Brian Leahy, who has been on paid administrative leave since early November, joined the fire department 52 years ago and took the helm in 1985.
In the agreement, the parties acknowledge that Leahy is being investigated for allegations of work-related misconduct.
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Under the deal’s terms, Leahy will continue to get his regular pay and benefits through April 1. He is slated to get a 5 percent raise on March 16.
The agreement calls for Leahy to remain on paid administrative leave through April 1. On Wednesday, acting Fire Chief Dave Godek’s name replaced Leahy’s on the village’s website.
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Leahy agreed to cooperate with the village’s payroll investigation, which started when he was placed on leave. The agreement said the investigation’s results, whatever they are, would be made public.
The agreement requires the village to allow Leahy to have a final sign-off over the fire department’s radio on a date the parties agree on. This is a tradition in the firefighting profession.
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The pact bars Leahy and the village government from disparaging each other. And the village promises it would not oppose Leahy’s effort to get his pension.
Leahy gets to keep his village-issued cellphone and laptop computer after all village documents and access to the village’s system are removed from the devices.
At Tuesday’s Village Board meeting, trustees approved the agreement as part of a package of other business. No one said a word about it.
Patch obtained the severance agreement through a public records request.
Leahy has not returned messages for comment.
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