CHRIS FOX PHOTO
Villa Park Village President Nick Cuzzone (left) and Villa Park’s interim village manager—Michael Guerra (right)—are pictured during the Villa Park Village Board’s special meeting on Feb. 3. The board didn’t discuss any issues in open session during the meeting. Board members went into executive session and adjourned without returning to open session. Guerra has been the village’s public works director for nearly two years. Since late December, he’s also been Villa Park’s interim village manager. On Thanksgiving Day—Nov. 25—Guerra was arrested in Pekin on a misdemeanor battery charge. The arrest took place after Pekin was involved in an argument with his wife. According to Guerra, he and his wife are going through a divorce. Guerra noted last week that Villa Park Village Board members were aware of the incident during the board’s Dec. 30 special meeting. During that meeting, Cuzzone stated that Guerra would serve as the interim village manager until the board hires a permanent village manager.
Villa Park interim village manager faces misdemeanor domestic battery charge
STAFF REPORT
Michael Guerra, who has been serving as Villa Park’s interim village manager since late December, was arrested Nov. 25 in downstate Pekin on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge, according to a Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office report.
Pekin is located just south of Peoria.
Guerra, who was named Villa Park’s public works director in April 2020, had previously been the city engineer of Pekin for 12 years. He took over as interim village manager after Villa Park Village Board members voted 4-3 on Dec. 20 to terminate the contract of Richard Keehner, who had been village manager since 2011.
The Villa Park Village Board held a special meeting on Feb. 3. The meeting agenda stated the village president and board of trustees were meeting “to consider the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity.”
Board members did not discuss any matters in open session during last week’s special meeting. They went into closed session and adjourned the meeting without returning to open session.
On Dec. 7, Guerra pleaded not guilty to domestic battery, according to Tazewell County Circuit Court records. An order of continuance was granted on Jan. 31, with a hearing in circuit court scheduled for April 25.
According to the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy was dispatched to Guerra’s house in Pekin at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 25—Thanksgiving Day. The report stated that a woman, identified as Guerra’s wife, told the deputy he hit her, and she was pretending to speak to her mother while on the phone with the dispatcher.
According to Guerra, he and his wife are going through a divorce.
The report said the deputy approached the residence and observed a vehicle backing out of the driveway. The deputy turned into the driveway so the vehicle could not leave. The driver of the vehicle identified himself as Michael Guerra, who, according to the report, stated him and his wife were arguing when he hit the phone out of her hand.
A second Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived on the scene and stood by with Guerra while the first deputy went inside the house to check on his wife, according to the report. The report stated Guerra and his wife were arguing. She said she did not feel safe and grabbed her phone to call 911 when Guerra allegedly struck her on the arm and cause the phone in her hand to be thrown across the room. She told deputies she retrieved her phone and was able to call 911 because she pretended the phone call was to her mother.
According to the report, she added that she did not need medical attention. She stated their three children were home during the incident and heard them arguing, but none of the children saw Guerra allegedly hit her.
On Feb. 3, Guerra responded to the Villa Park Review’s request for a comment on his arrest in Pekin. Guerra issued the following statement:
“This unfortunate incident is a private family matter as my family navigates through a divorce. I have been transparent with the Village regarding the incident by immediately informing the Village Administration, Village Directors, and key members of my department’s staff about the incident. The Village Board was aware of this issue during the reaffirmation of my status as Administrative Officer during the special meeting on Dec. 30, 2021. Under the guidance of my attorney and with the approval of the local prosecuting authority, I have been offered an opportunity in Project Safe, a program that promotes safe family environments to better myself as a person, a spouse, and a father. Upon successful completion, this case will be fully dismissed against me. While it is not an admission of guilt, I felt this decision was the best way to resolve the issue for my family and the Village.
“This family issue has not affected my performance as Director, Administrative Officer, or Interim Manager. During my time with the Village, I have dedicated my focus to improving the community and remain committed to the positive momentum generated in the past two years. The Village has several exciting projects that are under construction or will begin construction this year, including the new Community Recreation Center, the expansion of Jackson Pond to mitigate flooding for 83 residents, completion of the Maple Avenue Improvement to separate combination sewers, and rehabilitation of the roadways, along with several more.”
UPDATE: The Villa Park Village Board issued the following statement after its special meeting on Feb. 3…
In light of recent publications regarding the interim Village Manager, the Village Board finds it necessary to issue the following statement. As this recent matter involves Village personnel, the Village Board is required to act in compliance with our legal obligations as an employer, including Section 2-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act that restricts the use of arrest records in employment decisions. In compliance with the Village’s legal obligations and in a measure of fairness and deference to the judicial system, the Village Board majority has determined that it will not be taking any employment action with respect to the interim Village Manager at this time. The Village Board recognizes that domestic violence is a public health crisis and the officials of the Village remain committed to upholding laws and policies to support those impacted by domestic violence, including those protections afforded under the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, the Village Code and the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act.
