PHOTO: Chief Bryant Krizik
Orland Fire Protection District officials have agreed to pay two administrators caught up in a mysterious internal probe nearly $250,000 as part of a settlement that avoids the threat of further litigation, a review of records obtained by the SouthtownStar shows.
Retirement payouts that include unused vacation and sick days to former Chief Bryant Krizik and Deputy Chief Joe Madden — who is on paid leave until he retires in November — will cost fire district taxpayers more than $247,000, records show. Included in the total is $34,560 in severance pay that Krizik will get as part of the deal, according to his retirement documents.
Krizik and Madden agreed to retire in the wake of a two-month probe, the details of which officials have refused to describe other than to say Krizik, the former chief, had questionable images found on his work computer.
Former Battalion Chief Randy Reeder agreed to retire in six years and will retire with the lower rank of lieutenant. It’s not clear whether Reeder will receive similar payouts in the future.
Fire officials have not made specific allegations of wrongdoing against the men, but Orland Fire Protection District Board President James Hickey said last month that the details of the investigation’s findings “made my stomach sick.”
Krizik’s attorney Richard Gonzalez has said the probe initially focused on alleged favoritism in promotions, but shifted to Krizik’s laptop computer allegedly having sexually inappropriate material.
Madden was cleared of any wrongdoing, while Reeder agreed to retire in six years and take a cut in rank to curtail the investigation.
None of the men returned multiple calls seeking comment.
Nevertheless, a SouthtownStar analysis of their retirement packages shows district officials guaranteed money, ranks and insurance benefits in exchange for them not suing the district.
It’s another expense that will be passed on to local taxpayers who are already paying the highest tax rate among Southland fire protection districts. The district’s $30.1 million budget for 2011 dwarfs those of surrounding districts and has about 70 employees making $180,000 or more in total wages and benefits.
Neighboring Tinley Park, with a nearly identical population, has a municipal fire department and runs it on a $4 million budget.
But the negotiated deals were needed to avoid possible — and potentially costlier — litigation, Hickey said. The cost of any future lawsuits would dwarf the money spent on the retirement packages, he said.
“Years would have gone by,” Hickey said. “The public, three or four years down the road, would be more upset with me for spending millions of dollars.”
Krizik and Madden, who signed their retirement agreements in August and July respectively, initially were put on paid administrative leave in May pending an investigation.
Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Gorman (R-Orland Park) blamed the previous administration for allowing “shenanigans” to persist.
“It’s a shame with the dollars that got dished out, but it’s because they (the current district board) got rid of the problem,” Gorman said.
Former Orland fire board president Patrick Maher said the three administrators would have been fired with no payments if they were found at fault.
Still, exactly what the probe uncovered has not been revealed to the public.
The district paid Naperville-based law firm Ottosen Britz Kelly Cooper Gilbert and DiNolfo about $33,000 to handle the investigation, which included “forensic restoration of data” and a transcription of text messages.
Hickey, however, says the firm only produced “a verbal report” of its findings, which he would not repeat.
“I wish we could lay it all out there,” Hickey said. “The only way we could lay everything out and show the public what happened is go to court. Then we’re spending millions and years of time to do it.”
Hickey said Reeder announced his retirement six years early because he agreed to retire with a demotion rather than face further investigation.
In a letter to acting Chief Raymond Kay, Reeder said the move to lieutenant was not his first choice, but instead a decision he was making based on “personal and family reasons.” He did not elaborate.
“Although this is definitely not my first choice, I am looking forward to getting back to the streets running calls again, directly helping people we serve which should be our true focus,” Reeder said.
Hickey said Madden was allowed to retire as a deputy chief even though he technically wasn’t because of a snafu in his initial appointment to the post. Madden is set to retire on Nov. 25. Krizik is no longer with the department.
“Let’s close the curtain on the dark side and let’s now get down to the business of what everyone wants to deal with,” Hickey said. “Saving lives and saving property and doing it in the most cost-effective manner without cutting services.”
