Kane County Emergency Management Director leaves post

GENEVA – The Kane County Board voted to approve a separation agreement Tuesday with Sean Madison, director of the Office of Emergency Management, effective the same day, according to records released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

After a closed session, the board voted 22-0, with one present and one absent on a resolution to approve the separation agreement. Mo Iqbal, D-Elgin voted present and Myrna Molina, D-Aurora, was absent.

Madison had been employed by the county for nearly 28 years, since April 1, 1995, according to the agreement.

Madison had been placed on paid administrative leave on Dec. 1 and has been paid $14,632.76 since then, according to an email from county officials. The email included a clarification that the pay period that includes Feb. 14 has not been completed yet, as payroll is two weeks behind.

Records show Madison was named a deputy director in the Office of Emergency Management in 2008, then named interim director in 2018 and director in May 2019.

The seven-page agreement states that due to a restructuring of the department, Madison and the county “mutually agreed to terminate their employment relationship in accordance with the terms of this agreement.”

And if asked, both parties “will state that Sean Madison and the County separated amicably and on mutually acceptable terms,” according to the agreement.

The county also will pay Madison for 304 hours of unused vacation time, 50 hours of accrued vacation time and eight hours of earned but unused personal/sick time, according to the agreement.

The county also agreed not to contest an application for unemployment benefits, should Madison seek them.

The county also agreed to provide Madison a neutral letter of reference in his personnel file.

Iqbal said he voted present because he “did not hear the case against” Madison.

“I did not believe anything happened that would amount to that termination,” Iqbal said. “I attended one of his classes in emergency management and how I should be prepared. … He appeared to be very nice, professional and knowledgable. I could not connect the dots.”

Board Chair Corinne Pierog said that she would not comment on personnel matters, but that the restructuring of the Office of Emergency Management involved transferring its control from the Sheriff’s Office to the county board.

Jonathan Mensching was appointed as interim director, Pierog said.

Attempts to reach Madison for comment were unsuccessful.