The last year or so has been a tough run for Steve Witt, the Oak Park village government’s former director of Building and Property Standards.
Oak Park has spent the last year reorganizing the broader department – new name, new boss, new software, new space within village hall — and trustees have publicly criticized Witt, who oversaw building permits in the village.
After serving almost 12 years in Oak Park, Witt resigned earlier this month to “pursue an opportunity nearer his home in the northwest suburbs,” said village spokesman David Powers.
Village President Anan Abu-Taleb, one of Witt’s fiercest critics, told the embattled building director at a board meeting in June 2014, “My view is until we establish some type of credibility between the building department and the community, we not rush in to adding more layers of regulations.”
Village Manager Cara Pavlicek did not return calls requesting information about Witt’s departure, but she noted in a village manager’s report that Witt will be temporarily replaced by Ken Welch, an employee with HR Green, an engineering consulting firm under contract with the village.
Powers said the installment of a consultant is temporary while the village looks for a permanent replacement.
Abu-Taleb said in a telephone interview that Witt was “a good man” who “worked hard for the village” but added that his departure is “a strong signal that our culture has changed” and become more customer-service oriented.
“I’m interested in having a culture in village hall that recognizes the importance of great customer service,” Abu-Taleb said. “We got the message loud and clear from the residents and businesses that they don’t want to wait forever for their permits, and they don’t want to pull permits to move furniture around.”
Witt’s position paid $111,166, Powers said.
Contact: tim@oakpark.com
