City of Chillicothe Human Resource Committee met Jan. 15.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
A meeting of the Human Resources Council of the City of Chillicothe, Peoria County, Illinois, met in Open Session in person January 15, 2026 at 4:30 P.M. with Chairman Semtner presiding and with proper notice having been posted.
Chairman Semtner called the meeting to order at 4:30 P.M.
Physically Present: Chairman Semtner
Committee Members Present: Alderperson Gehrig and Alderperson Cantwell
Also Physically Present: Alderperson Sharp
Chairman Semtner declared a Quorum present.
ANYONE WITH BUSINESS CONCERNING CITY GOVERNMENT:
None
Chairman Semtner stated that this meeting was called to establish a consistent process for the upcoming annual performance reviews for department heads reporting to the Mayor and that this committee would only discuss the process being used for the upcoming meetings and not
the substance of any individual employee’s performance. The intent of this meeting is to establish a consistent, fair, and defensible approach for conducting the annual performance review meetings.
The following were agreed to unanimously be the Human Resources Committee:
• Required attendees
o Mayor
o HR Committee Chair
o Corresponding Standing Committee Chair
* Any other Alderperson’s are encouraged to attend.
Chairman Semtner will schedule the review meetings and develop a form to document these one-on-one reviews.
HR Committee chose the following general discussion areas to be discussed with each employee: Leaderships and management, Department operations and performance, Budget and fiscal responsibility, Compliance with City policies and ordinances, Communication with City Council, Goals and priorities for the upcoming year and Other.
Also discussed:
• Documentation and Record-Keeping
o Confirmation that a review meeting occurred
o Minimal documentation necessary for City records
o Responsibility for completing and maintaining records
o Location of record retention
• Roles and Responsibilities
o Role of Mayor – To lead the discussions based on his thoughts on department heads performance (not in writing)
o Role of HR Committee Chair – To take notes during each meeting and offer performance comments
o Role of Standing Committee Chair – To offer performance comments
• Risk Considerations
o Consistency and fairness
o Employee Acknowledgment of review meetings
o City liability considerations
• Possible:
o Discrimination Claims
o Retaliation Claims
o Wrongful Termination / Due Process Claims
o Open Records & FOIA Complications
o Inconsistent Treatment Between Departments
o Council Oversight & Fiduciary Risk
o Insurance & Legal Defense Concerns
o Reputational & Public Trust Risk
o Personal Risk to the Mayor
Chairman Semtner stated “From an HR and risk perspective, the concern isn’t whether written evaluations are legally required – it’s how the city demonstrated consistency, fairness, and legitimate decision-making if something is later challenged.”
Motion Chairman Semtner, second Alderperson Gehrig, that the Human Resources Committee direct staff, in coordination with the City Attorney, to draft revisions for City’s personnel policy governing performance evaluations to require that, following the conclusion of the current evaluation cycle, all employee performance reviews be conducted on a regular annual schedule, documented in writing by the Mayor, and maintained in the employee’s personnel file; and further, that the revised policy include minimum standards addressing the evaluation timeline, responsible evaluator(s), required content, employee acknowledgment, and procedures for responding to performance deficiencies; and that the proposed policy revisions be brought back to the Committee for review and recommendation to the City Council.
Voice Call Vote was:
Ayes: Chairman Semtner, Alderperson’s Gehrig and Cantwell
Nays: None
Chairman declared motion carried.
Adjournment
Motion Alderperson Gehrig to adjourn and second Alderperson Cantwell
Meeting was adjourned at 5:01 P.M.
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