Sugar Grove to pay nearly $200K for administrator’s separation agreement

SUGAR GROVE – The total cost of Sugar Grove Administrator Brent Eichelberger’s separation agreement is nearly $200,000, records show.

The total cost is $196,398.92, with Eichelberger receiving a lump sum payment of $117,196.80, according to records obtained in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Eichelberger’s annual salary prior to the separation agreement was $180,779.87.

The lump sum includes 20 weeks of aggregate pay, his car allowance, vacation, sick and personal time owed, according to the eight-page agreement.

The rest includes $62,060.52 to his Retirement Health Savings Account, $12,131.60 in deferred compensation, and $5,000 in costs for employment placement services and $10 for waiving his rights, according to the agreement.

Eichelberger signed the agreement on Dec. 17 and the Village Board approved it at its Dec. 20 meeting, documents show. The official separation date is March 1, according to the agreement. Eichelberger will remain employed by the village and collect his salary through the separation date. He will receive his severance package after March 1, the agreement stated.

Eichelberger had been administrator for 21 years. According to the Sugar Grove Village code, the administrator manages daily operations, supervises and directs department heads, makes recommendations to the trustees, enforces the village’s laws and ordinances, attends all meetings, serves as the budget officer and is responsible for administering the budget and capital program.

Citing personnel reasons, officials would not comment about the reasons behind the separation agreement and Eichelberger did not respond to a voice mail message seeking comment.

Village President Jennifer Konen said Eichelberger is working remotely and available to her through the transition period to a new administrator.

“The board is working on creating a job description and posting in 2023,” Konen said. “We will be putting that out there and hope we get a lot of qualified candidates. He will not be part of choosing his replacement.”

Konen said there is no interim administrator, but the village’s department heads are doing extra work to see that everything is getting done.

The separation agreement states that Eichelberger would give his resignation and once accepted by the Village Board would become effective on March 1.

The agreement also states the village will not contest his eligibility for unemployment benefits.