Police chief picking up more duties in North Aurora
By Denise Linke For The Beacon-News August 24, 2012 2:02PM
North Aurora Police Chief David Summer
Updated: September 27, 2012 11:16AM
NORTH AURORA – Police Chief David Summer about to help run the village as well as protect it. Starting next week, the police chief will also take on the role of interim village administrator, taking over from outgoing Village Administrator Wes Kornowske.
Kornowske is leaving the village to take a position as director of operations for a private transportation firm in Green Bay, Wis., where he grew up.
While Summer will have the interim administrator title and handle day-to-day operations, Village President Dale Berman will assume some of Kornowske’s duties.
Giving the temporary position to the police chief instead of promoting an administrative staff member is becoming more common in the area, Kornowske said.
“Oswego, Downers Grove and Hanover Park all have police chiefs acting as interim administrators, and it’s working very well for them,” he said.
Summer and Berman will share the temporary position for at least eight months, until the winner of next April’s village president race takes office in May.
“There’s a state law that says that the village administrator’s contract can’t exceed the term of the mayor who was in office when he was hired,” Kornowske said. “If the village started looking for a replacement now, it would take two or three months to find someone, and then they would have to offer him a three-month contract, which would be ridiculous. It makes more sense to wait until after the election, when they can offer a four-year contract.”
