Villa Park board approves ordinance to codify finance reporting and add safeguards

The Village of Villa Park Board of Trustees voted March 9 to amend and approve an ordinance intended to strengthen organizational controls, including codifying financial reporting from the finance director and establishing notice requirements before hiring or firing department heads.

Trustee Constatos moved to add language under the finance-affairs section requiring that the finance director "have a duty to report directly to the village manager and the village president and board of trustees any material financial irregularity, audit concern, or directive that may significantly affect the accuracy, transparency, or integrity of the village's finances." He also asked that such a notice be included in the agenda materials for the next regular meeting consistent with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Attorney Morton reviewed the proposed amendment and suggested two changes: include the village manager explicitly in the reporting chain to avoid undercutting the manager’s role in a manager-form government, and alter language so that placing the matter on the agenda is permissive ('may') rather than mandatory ('will'), giving the board discretion about special meetings. Trustee Constatos accepted those modifications during the discussion.

Board members then voted by roll call to adopt the amendment and approve the ordinance as amended.

Why it matters: the change creates a formal channel for the finance director to alert elected officials about significant financial concerns and clarifies how the board may respond, an administrative control proponents said is intended to increase transparency and protect audit integrity.

Next steps: staff or the village attorney will incorporate the agreed language into final ordinance text for the municipal code.