CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Rolling Meadows City Council is expected to vote Tuesday night on whether to fire city manager Barry Krumstok, but the city manager is not going down without a fight.
Krumstok has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Joe Gallo, the city, and potentially, the city council. Krumstok’s lawyer, Keith Hunt, said it’s retaliation by Gallo for Krumstok finding in an investigation of then-Ald. Gallo that Gallo was guilty of harassing a female alderman. Hunt said that since Gallo has been mayor, “he has repeatedly threatened Mr. Krumstok with termination and told him that, ‘Well, I guess you’re not going to be retiring from this city.’”
The lawsuit also alleges Mayor Gallo treated Krumstok, who is Jewish, “differently than non-Jewish employees.” It said Gallo would exclaim, “Oh! Another Jewish holiday?”, when Krumstok advised the mayor he was taking a day off. The suit said Krumstok used vacation or comp time on those days.
Attorney Hunt said Krumstok was “blindsided” with a resignation demand last Thursday when Mayor Gallo showed up to Krumstok’s office for their regular weekly meeting.
“Mr. Krumstok thought they were just going to be discussing the matters they normally discuss. The city’s business. Then, one of the city’s attorneys showed up.”
Krumstok has seven months left on a contract that, according to govsalaries.com, pays him $217,000 in salary and benefits.
Hunt said there were better ways Mayor Gallo could have handled the matter, including quietly telling Krumstok that when Krumstok’s contract expires, it would not be renewed.
As for Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Hunt said he’s putting the seven aldermen on notice that “the ball’s in their court." He did not say the aldermen would be sued, but besides the City of Rolling Meadows and Mayor Joe Gallo, the lawsuit lists defendants “John Does 1-7.”
WBBM Newsradio has attempted to get a response from Mayor Gallo.
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