In comments he said were “probably long overdue,” Keener during the Nov. 4 council meeting lamented the turmoil that has mounted in the past year and a half, drama underscored by multiple lawsuits against the village and some council members, and the fact that the village has not retained a permanent manager in that time.
“I believe that the mayor and council people Sexton, Adkins and Back were doing our community a grave injustice when they took the actions they took back in February 2024,” Keener said of the council members who voted alongside the mayor to approve the firings. “They defamed and besmirched four individuals plus myself by their actions.”
Keener also criticized the appointment of current Law Director Mike McNamee, who was initially recruited in 2024 on an interim basis to lead an internal investigation into the village based on allegations of misdealing against the previous administration. It was these allegations that precipitated the firings.
McNamee, and his law firm, has since served as law director in all capacities, and was hired on permanently during the Nov. 4 meeting.
“In my estimation, and I believe other people have agreed with me, an independent investigator should not be investigating a business, corporation, or municipality where he’s the law director,” Keener said. “That’s a conflict of interest no matter how you look at it. That was a mistake to do at the time and is still a mistake today.”
Interim Village Manager Shannon Bemis, who was appointed to the role following the sudden resignation of manager Bill Draugelis in September, addressed some of Keener’s concerns during council comments.
“Mr. Keener, I appreciate your opinions, and I think one thing you and I can agree on is our passion for the community,” Bemis said. “… As far as what council did (and it being) too fast, too much, too soon; I may agree with that statement but there are a lot of things going on in this community.”
Bemis said the new administration has addressed several issues with things like the village’s insurance policies, office equipment and technology, and asset management that has resulted in significant cost savings.
“This isn’t just about the last administration … there have been decades of issues, decades of people that just wanted to come into a job, clock in, out, go home and not take pride in things, not look above and beyond … this place was a mess,” she said.
Keener was initially placed on administrative leave in February 2024 and subsequently fired along with other top village officials, including former Village Manager Glena Madden, Chief Financial Officer Phillip Hinson, Police Chief Curtis Hensley and Service Superintendent Scott Brock.
The village cited Keener’s “failure to administer the duties expected of the law director effectively” and for not bringing potential misconduct to light.
Madden at the time categorized the actions taken by council as “a unilateral takeover.” She and other ousted employees have since filed lawsuits against the village, some of which remain in litigation.
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