By Madhu Mayer
Despite dissension, there is a new chief in the Village of Plainfield.
The Plainfield Village Board Monday appointed Robert Miller as its police chief, at an annual salary of $160,000. While his qualifications were not at issue, several trustees said their dissenting vote was cast because they were unhappy with the selection process.
Miller, a Plainfield resident, and deputy chief for the city of Wheaton, replaces John Konopek, who retired as chief in July after serving the police department for nearly three decades. Konopek, who joined the department as a patrol officer in 1994, was the first individual to hold the title of commander. He was appointed police chief in 2011.
Approving Miller’s appointment were trustees Harry Benton, Kevin Calkins, Tom Ruane and Mayor John Argoudelis.
Voting against the appointment were trustees Cally Larson and Brian Wojowski. Trustee Patricia Kalkanis abstained.
Larson claimed she was never part of the process in selecting Miller.
“We had to beg for info, and we do not make decisions without it,” she said. “The hours of being screamed at and the conduct was a disgrace at multiple executive sessions.”
Wojowski assured Miller his “no” vote had nothing to do with his credentials.
“I am confident in your leadership abilities but not the process,” said Wojowski.
Benton later apologized to Miller for the board unnecessarily delaying his appointment.
“It didn’t have to be a mess,” said Miller. “There were clear and motivated political games being played.”
But Argoudelis said the process was transparent from start to finish. He said the selection process mirrored Village of Shorewood’s timeline in selecting its police chief.
The mayor said a committee comprised of himself, human resources director, village administrator, director of management services and two police chiefs outside Plainfield’s jurisdiction reviewed resumes of 32 applicants before interviewing 10 candidates. That list was narrowed to three until Miller was recommended for the job.
“I could have chosen anyone without the eyes of other people,” he said.
Village Attorney Jim Harvey said there was no wrong doing on the mayor’s part.
“This appointment is a statutory right of the mayor,” said Harvey. “The board’s role is to either confirm or deny.”
