Northfield Village Board follows through with municipal training following turbulent year

Village of Northfield officials capped a year filled with turmoil with a session to mitigate such complications in the future.

The Village Board met in a closed meeting on Dec. 18 for governmental training from the Illinois Municipal League, a workshop that trustees agreed to in July.

Interim Village Manager Tim Frenzer said the listed purpose of the executive discussion was for “self-evaluation, practices and procedures, and professional ethics” during a meeting with a member of the Illinois Municipal League, who Frenzer confirmed as Executive Director Brad Cole.

Details from the meeting, however, are protected by the Open Meetings Act, and The Record’s messages to Cole and to Village President Greg Lungmus were not returned by press time.

The Illinois Municipal League offers a variety of educational programming for elected officials throughout the state. The resources include everything from land use and economic education to ethics and civility training.

Village of Northfield government’s challenges began in early 2023 when the town’s police department investigated Lungmus for alleged misconduct in an altercation with a delivery truck driver.

The aftermath included public scrutiny throughout the year and a rift among officials that resulted in the reassignment of and a financial settlement with former Village Manager Stacy Sigman.

In the agreement with Sigman, trustees agreed to undergo training from the Illinois Municipal League to “work on trying to work together and improve our communication,” Lungmus previously stated.

The next meeting of the Village of Northfield trustees is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 16 at Village Hall.

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