Though he was fired by the North Chicago City Council last week, former City Administrator Gerald Smith still is making waves at City Hall.
Mayor Jerry Johnson is asking to retain Smith for 60 days. But at least one alderman is suggesting that the city not pay his severance fee.
Johnson said he made his request for two more months of Smith’s services to allow time to find a new city administrator.
Smith’s firing left the city without somebody to run its day-to-day affairs, Johnson said.
Johnson on Monday vetoed the council’s 6-0 vote to fire Smith. The council will consider the veto at its January meeting.
The council took a different approach to Smith’s departure. One alderman, Andrew Franklin, suggested the city could save $25,000 by not paying the severance fee specified in his contract.
Smith did not move into North Chicago within a year of signing his contract in September 1997. All North Chicago city employees are required to live in the city.
Smith said he was unwilling to move without a secure, long-term contract with North Chicago.
