‘I’m being fired’: Hebron Village Board removes treasurer in tie vote broken by president

Citing “ongoing attitude issues,” Hebron Village President Robert Shelton cast the tie-breaking vote to remove village Treasurer Susan Fotland from her position Monday evening.

Despite Shelton’s insistence that the position was appointed, Fotland shouted, “I’m being fired” as the vote was taking place and left the building before the new treasurer was sworn in.

Shelton said he did not want to go “into great detail” during the public meeting but indicated disagreements with Fotland at past board meetings played a role in his decision to replace her. He said he felt Fotland was disrespectful at the last board meeting on July 25.

Fotland had disagreed with moving just over $8,300 monthly into a savings account for road improvements in Hebron, according to the meeting’s minutes.

The item, which was reintroduced Monday evening, did not pass at either meeting, as trustees cited village revenue shortfalls, in part due to the drop in police department income.

Shelton’s ran for village president on a platform of slashing the police department’s budget, a move that led Alden-Hebron School District 19 Superintendent Tiffany Elswick to raise concerns Monday about the student and staff safety.

Also at the July 25 meeting, during discussion of the unfilled police lieutenant position, Trustee Josh Stevens asked Fotland “if she thought all of this was funny as she appeared to be laughing. She responded that she thought it was hilarious,” the minutes state.

Former Village President Kimmy Martinez, who lost her bid for reelection against Shelton in 2021, spoke at the meeting on Fotland’s behalf, citing her decades of experience.

“When the treasurer says no to an agenda item, you should reassess and come up with another plan to bring in village income,” Martinez said.

The village’s new treasurer, Katherine Andrus, an accountant based in McHenry, was sworn in Monday evening. Andrus indicated her work would be mostly remote, but she would come into the village on Tuesdays.

Andrus will be paid an hourly salary of $75 with a monthly salary not to exceed $5,000 and annual salary not to top $60,000.

Several board members questioned the need for the appointment or the village officials involved had made an attempt to mediate concerns.

“The treasurer mocked a board decision,” Shelton said. “The village is now moving in a different direction. The appointee of treasurer serves at the pleasure of the president and the board, and it has not been a pleasure lately or in quite some time.”