Bensenville president could make $135,000 a year if village changes form of government

Bensenville voters will be asked to decide if the village should change its form of government and have the village president take on a full-time role with a higher salary.

A vote on the ballot measure came just one week after Bensenville trustees terminated the village manager without an explanation.

During a special meeting on Wednesday night, village trustees unanimously approved a resolution to put a binding question on the April 1 ballot that will ask whether Bensenville should keep its managerial form of government.

They also voted to raise the pay for whoever is the village president if voters reject the managerial form of government.

Current village President Frank DeSimone is running unopposed. He did not respond Thursday to requests for comment.

No trustees spoke or asked questions before the vote.

In 1986, voters approved having the managerial form of government.

If the ballot measure fails, Bensenville will revert to a president-trustee form of government, where the elected village president runs the town full-time as the executive and administrator.

The board also approved an amendment to an ordinance that would increase the pay for the village president if that happens.

DeSimone is set to receive a salary of $33,000 in 2025, according to the village.

If Bensenville scraps its managerial form of government, the village president will be paid $135,000 a year.

In addition, the village president would become eligible to receive medical and dental insurance through the village. However, if the village president decides not to take the insurance coverage, the village president would receive an annual stipend of $15,000.

Resident Chris McCullough addressed the board before the vote.

“Does not a single one of you have a moral compass that knows these actions are wrong for our residents?” McCullough said.

He asked the trustees to explain their votes. “Don’t you think we as residents deserve to know that?” he said.

Before the vote, DeSimone said village officials had discussed the proposed change for over eight years.

“Unfortunately, there are some in the community trying to spread disinformation,” he said.

Last week, the board voted 5-0 to fire Evan Summers, who had worked as village manager for eight years. DeSimone gave no reason for the dismissal during the Nov. 26 meeting.

“We are grateful for his service to the village and its residents,” he said at the end of the meeting. “We wish him nothing but the best in his next endeavor.”

Summers has said he was fired without cause.

The board appointed Police Chief Daniel Schulze as interim village manager.