JOLIET — The taxpayers of Joliet funded a $45,373 separation agreement worked out by the administration of Mayor Terry D’Arcy and first-year City Manager Beth Beatty, agreeing to pay interim corporation counsel Chris Regis, a holdover from the previous administration of ousted two-term Mayor Bob O’Dekirk. Under the agreement, Regis’ full-time employment at Joliet City Hall came to a sudden end on Aug. 1.
When reached for comment about the separation agreement for Regis, the city of Joliet’s spokeswoman said that city manager Beth Beatty does not comment on personnel matters.
Regis had worked for Joliet in the legal department for about eight and a half years. According to the city’s annual compensation report posted online, Regis made a total of $158,873 in 2023. Based on his 2023 compensation, the separation agreement for Regis is at least three months of regular salary.
In January 2016, Patch reported that Joliet’s new inspector — Regis’ title at the time — was set to begin work Jan. 25, 2016 at a salary of $120,000, according to then-Joliet City Manager Jim Hock. At the time of his hiring, Regis worked for Will County as an Assistant State’s Attorney.
In 2016, Hock said Regis would investigate complaints against any employees or elected officials. He will also serve as the city’s hearing officer for ordinance violations, along with litigating some of the case load within the legal department.
Regis previously worked with the Joliet Police Department from 1991 to 2010. He worked with the Will County State’s Attorney’s office since 2003. Regis is a graduate of Lewis University in Romeoville. He earned his law degree from Marquette University Law School.
In January 2016, then-Mayor Bob O’Dekirk said during a City Council meeting that it’s no secret he’s known Regis for some time, both in a professional basis as a police officer and working with him at the courthouse.
“He’s a man of integrity. If you’ve seen his resume, he’s one of the top prosecutors in Will County. It would be a real grab from the City of Joliet to have him come on board. I think he’d be a great choice.”
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Patch obtained a copy of the separation agreement with Regis as part of a recent Freedom of Information Act request to Joliet. The document is five pages; here are some of the highlights:
Regis signed a promise not to sue clause. “Regis promises and covenants that he will not file any lawsuit against the city of Joliet or the released parties based upon any claim covered under the foregoing release … except that Regis is not prohibited from bringing any claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended, wherein Regis seeks to challenge whether he knowingly and voluntarily entered into this agreement, or from exercising his protected rights … Nothing in this agreement restricts Regis’s right to enforce this agreement and the promises set forth herein.”
The Aug. 1 separation agreement for Regis contains a mutual confidentiality and non-disparagement clause. “Employee acknowledges and agrees that confidentiality and non-disparagement are the documented preferences of employee and not just the preference of the city and are mutually beneficial to both parties.”
The agreement goes on to state, “Employee agrees that neither he nor his agents will disclose the terms of this agreement to any third party specifically including, without limitation, any past, present or prospective employee of the city, any customer of the city or to any representative of any media.”
As for Joliet, the agreement with Regis indicates that it will direct the city manager, deputy city manager and human resources “that, while they continue to be employed by the city, they will not disclose the terms of this agreement to any third party, specifically including without limitation, any past, present or prospective employee of the city, any customer of the city or to any representative of any media, except for legitimate business reasons.”
In exchange for his payment of more than $45,000, Regis agreed not to make “any false and disparaging statements about his employment with the city, its work product, its employees, the termination of his employment or any other dealings of any kind between him and the city, to any third party including … past, present or prospective employees of the city, any customer of the city or to any representative of any media.”
The agreement to end Regis’ employment also points out that Joliet’s city manager, deputy city manager and human resources staff “will not make any false and disparaging statements about Employee’s employment with the city, the termination of Employee’s employment or any other dealings of any kind between (Regis) and the city ….”
After paying Regis to leave, Joliet promoted assistant corporation counsel Todd Lenzie, who had been employed since May 2021 as its new interim corporation counsel.
Before joining Joliet more than three years ago, Lenzie worked as a Will County Public Defender.
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