An Awkward Moment For Burr Ridge Village Board?

Burr Ridge IL

09 August, 2021

10:58 AM

Description

BURR RIDGE, IL — The Burr Ridge Village Board is poised to adopt a resolution Monday to honor Jerry Sapp, the village's finance director for the last quarter century. His last day is Aug. 19. The board likely will leave unmentioned its months-long effort to oust Sapp after he suffered a medical emergency last September. According to previous Sapp memos, Mayor Gary Grasso let him know in the middle of summer 2020 that the board wanted to see him go. That was at the same time the board was apparently pressuring then-Village Administrator Doug Pollock to leave. Last fall, Pollock departed with a $38,000 severance package and a part-time job as village planner, a job he left in the spring. The board never divulged publicly its reasoning in Pollock's and Sapp's cases. A few days after his medical problem last fall, Sapp was cleared by his doctor to return to work. But the village refused to let him back. In late June, the village reached a settlement with Sapp, allowing him to return to work as long as he resigned Aug. 19. He also received $90,000 as part of the agreement. Sapp agreed to drop a complaint he filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Office. In all, the village spent nearly $200,000 in its effort to see Sapp gone, yet he returned to the office after all. One of the requirements under the settlement was a letter of commendation from the mayor honoring Sapp's service to the village, which the mayor-signed resolution appears to satisfy. According to the resolution, Sapp provided "valuable service" with "dedication and integrity." He was credited with coordinating the production of a balanced budget every year and led the finance department through many "clean" audits. The resolution said Sapp also played an integral role in developing and maintaining the village's information technology systems. "Jerry Sapp shall hold a place of esteem in the minds and hearts of residents, businesses and employees of the Village and is offered our sincere congratulations on his retirement," the resolution said. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the Village Board was planning to adopt a resolution honoring employee Julie Tejkowski upon her retirement after 20 years. In fact, the resolution is honoring her for her 20 years of service to the village. She continues to work for the village.