Homer Glen manager leaving for new job
Mayor: Friling a huge asset to the village, ‘best we’ve ever had’
Homer Glen village manager Karie Friling has resigned after two years in the position to take a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” as executive director of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District.
Friling, who previously was the assistant village manager and director of development services for Orland Park, became Homer Glen village manager April 1, 2019. She was selected from about 30 different applications.
Mayor George Yukich said Friling was a huge asset to the village.
“By far, she’s been the best we’ve ever had,” Yukich said. “I’m going to miss her, so is the board and so is the staff. This is a very big loss for me, for my board and for the village.”
Yukich said at Wednesday’s board meeting the village has prided itself on strong, positive leadership but cautioned that this election season has led the community to “spiral into negativity, self-doubt and fear of change.”
“Many of those that are running in this upcoming election are armchair quarterbacks,” Yukich said. “They have done nothing positive and have spread lies and misinformation. Unfortunately, now our best village manger has tendered her resignation, in part because of this.”
Friling said it has been a little discouraging to see the negativity of the village lately, but said she has been handling that type of public pressure for 27 years in local government and realizes it is easy to become cynical.
“At times it has been difficult for me to stay quiet in the face of political personal attacks against myself, Mayor Yukich, village board members and staff,” she said. “Unfortunately, too many people have no idea what honest public service is. Too often, they criticize without commitment or offering anything in return for the positive betterment of their own community.”
She said she believes being a public servant is an honorable profession and will continue in that role, but on a different path. She said her decision should not reflect poorly on the Homer Glen board, staff or community.
“I know some in the community will negatively twist and use this against myself, the mayor, the village board and the overall organization,” she said. “I want Homer Glen to know directly from me — I have been extremely blessed here and have enjoyed every single day of my service.”
Friling said she has been proud of her accomplishments such as bringing amenities and special events to Heritage Park.
Seeing how people turned to the park and to nature during the pandemic was one of the main reasons she accepted the position with the forest preserve district, Friling said.
She will leave April 7, but said she hopes to have wrapped up the transfer of stewardship of the road district from Homer Township to the village before then. The issue is in litigation.
The Forest Preserve District Board is expected to vote to hire Friling at its March 16 meeting, according to a news release from the forest district.
Homer Glen assistant village manager Matt Walsh will assume duties as village manager.
“He’s very professional,” Yukich said.
Friling said Walsh has the support and trust of the village staff and board and is confident in her successor.