Danville, Illinois Development News

Danville City Council Debates Treasurer Position: Elected vs. Appointed

The council discussed the potential change in the treasurer selection from an elected position to an appointed one. This discussion was initiated based on previous council feedback and federal court orders from a 1987 lawsuit that established the current aldermanic system and mandated elected mayor, alderman, and treasurer positions. Corporation counsel presented a draft ordinance to change the treasurer position to appointed, and also noted that this change could be achieved through a referendum. Discussions also touched upon amending other sections of the city code to include the fire chief and police chief as appointed officials and cleaning up outdated titles. Concerns were raised by council members regarding the implications of changing a federally mandated elected position and the potential impact on representation and the historical context of the 1987 decree. The possibility of imposing stricter penalties for a derelict treasurer through ordinance was also discussed as an alternative to changing the position's elected status. The council also discussed Alderman Teague's research into state statutes regarding required citywide elected positions and the clerk's appointed status. The possibility of requiring specific qualifications or experience for an appointed treasurer was also raised. Ultimately, the council decided to further discuss these matters in committees and consider adjustments to the draft ordinance.