Orland Park should vote to keep council/ manager government

Orland Park citizens have a very important vote before them on April 4: Should the village retain the council/manager form of government?

On behalf of the Illinois City/ County Management Association, we urge you to vote to retain this form of government for the following reasons:

1) The council/manager form of government provides strong administrative leadership with equally strong political leadership. The council sets the policy; the manager is charged with implementation. This is much like a school superintendent and a school board. It is hard to imagine a school system operating without professional expertise. It is equally hard to imagine a municipality operating without the same type of professional expertise.

2) The manager serves at the pleasure of the council. If the manager does not perform to the council’s expectations, then he or she can be terminated. While the Illinois state statutes define the position; the council can set parameters such as whether the manager is required to live within the city limits. A residency requirement can be made part of the employment agreement.

3) A professional local government manager has the educational background and experience to run the daily activities of the village. It takes the politics out of running the village. The professional manager has been trained in finance and budgeting, personnel management and economic development.

4) The manager abides by the ICMA Code of Ethics which includes standards beyond those required by law. The code requires managers to “affirm the dignity and worth of the services rendered by government and maintain … a deep sense of social responsibility as a trusted public servant.”

In these difficult times, it is crucial that the village is well managed. A vote to retain the council/manager form of government will help to ensure that the village services of the Orland Park continue to run efficiently, effectively and equitably.