Egizio resigns as executive director for Joliet Park District

JOLIET – Dominic Egizio resigned Friday from his $160,000-a-year job as executive director of the Joliet Park District.

The resignation comes after an internal investigation reportedly focused on Egizio's relationship with a female employee.

Egizio was placed on paid administrative leave six weeks ago when the park board hired a law firm to do the investigation.

Sources have said that Egizio was placed on leave after the park district received a demand letter from a lawyer representing the female employee, who was said to be seeking payment and other action to resolve the situation.

Park officials have not commented on the nature of the investigation, other than to say it involved Egizio.

The resignation did not come with any severance pay or other conditions, park board President Glen Marcum said.

"There is no package or anything like that," Marcum said.

While on paid leave Egizio received $17,229, according to park officials.

He was officially placed on administrative leave Aug. 24, although Egizio stopped coming to work a few days before then. His departure came after the board met in closed session at a special meeting. According to a source, the demand letter from the employee's attorney was reviewed at that meeting.

No comment on investigation

Marcum declined to discuss the circumstances leading to the resignation or the findings of the Sotos investigation, referring to it as a personnel issue. He did commend Egizio for his work as executive director and previous jobs during 26 years with the park district. Egizio has been executive director since 2004.

"He did a great job. He decided to move on," Marcum said.

Other park board members either did not immediately return calls Friday or declined to comment on Egizio's resignation.

Marcum would not comment on whether Egizio faced termination if he did not resign. He also would not comment on whether the park district continues to face the threat of litigation and demand for payment from the park district employee.

The resignation came after the park board on Monday reviewed a report from the Sotos Law Firm, which conducted the investigation.

Park officials said they have not yet received the bill from Sotos. The investigation also involved work by Elijah Ltd., a Chicago-based information technology company whose work includes computer forensics.

Marcum said the work by Sotos and Elijah has been completed, but the park board would still need to review the report on the investigation.

"We didn't have a good chance to review everything," he said. "Personally, I have not even had a chance to read it all."

Egizio's tenure

Egizio's time as executive director until his recent problems was notable for expansion into new events and facilities.

The park district brought back Taste of Joliet, which has become the city's premier summer festival, and ventured into the concert business. Taste of Joliet features major music acts over three days. The park district's experience at Taste of Joliet has led it to venture into more concerts.

Egizio's resignation comes just a day before a first-of-its-kind fall concert staged at Joliet Memorial Stadium featuring popular country performers, including Chris Young as the headline act.

Last year, the park district passed a $19.5 million bond referendum to be used for park improvements and a new indoor recreation facility to be built at Nowell Park.

Money from the referendum also was used to add new lights at Memorial Stadium this summer. Field turf was added to Memorial Stadium during Egizio's tenure, making it a multi-use facility available for concerts and a greater variety of sports events.

The Presence Inwood Athletic Club opened under Egizio's leadership.

Search for new director

The park district announced Egizio's resignation Friday afternoon, saying that it is effective immediately. Egizio has been executive director since April 2004.

Interim Executive Director Matt Pehle will continue in that position until a permanent executive director is named, the park district said in the news release announcing the resignation.

Marcum said he believed it would take two or three months to hire a permanent executive director

"Matt Pehle is doing a great job," he said. "The employees are doing a great job. The park district hasn't missed a beat."