Council votes village manager out of job

No reason given for unanimous decision

Cara Pavlicek was terminated from her position as Downers Grove village manager during the May 6 Village Council meeting.

After meeting for more than an hour in executive session to consider "the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of village employees," commissioners briefly returned to the dais and voted unanimously to terminate the village manager's employment agreement.

There was no discussion from the commissioners, and the meeting was adjourned immediately after the vote with no comment about the termination except that it was to take effect immediately.

Pavlicek, who was placed on paid administrative leave indefinitely on April 22, was not present at the May 6 or April 22 council meetings.

The executive session May 6 was the fourth time in less than three months that the council has met in closed session to discuss personnel issues.

In a statement issued last week, Doug Kozlowski, communications director for the village, wrote, "During this period, senior-level managers are coordinating the day-to-day operation of the village to ensure that business is conducted as usual throughout the organization. More information regarding the status of the village manager will be provided at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner."

Kozlowski said Pavlicek's yearly salary at the time of her termination was $146,390.

Pavlicek was appointed village manager after a nationwide search in late 2005.

Before her position with Downers Grove, she spent eight years as a city administrator in La Vista, Neb., a suburb southwest of Omaha with almost 15,000 people.

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