Digging through the records: Ex-Wheaton park director still being paid

James Fuller Daily Herald Staff Writer

Rob Robinson isn't executive director of the Wheaton Park District anymore. He doesn't live in free park district housing. Nor does he live in Illinois.

But he'll still get paid for another month as if he was, a sum totaling a little more than $10,000, according to a copy of Robinson's resignation agreement.

Robinson's Sept. 20 resignation took effect immediately. At that moment he lost all his park district privileges. He turned in his park district cell phone. He relinquished the 2003 Ford Explorer the park district gave him to use for business purposes. And he had until the end of the year to move out of the free housing the district provided for him and his family.

Robinson is already out of that house, but he'll still see some money related to the housing down the road.

The park district places the fair market value of the free housing it provided Robinson at $25,000 for the year. Robinson must now include that as gross income on his taxes. For that, the park district will reimburse him up to $2,222 for the taxes owed.

But Robinson will receive more money for temporary housing the district provided while fixing up the park district home used to house the director. From Jan. 1 to June 30, the park district shelled out $24,000 in rent for Robinson and his family to live in temporary housing at 821 N. Wheaton Ave. That comes out to $4,000 a month in rent.

"It was basically a supply and demand thing," park board President Paul Fullerton said. "It was the only house we could find."

Robinson must also include the temporary housing payment in his gross income. The park district will reimburse him up to $9,600 for doing so.

Robinson exhausted all his personal and sick time before he left, which supports his statement about resigning because of health concerns.

However, the park district did cut Robinson a check for $4,662 for 73 hours of unused vacation time.

Unless he gets a new job before then, Robinson keeps his health and dental benefits until Jan. 31. That's also the last day he'll receive a paycheck under the resignation agreement, for a total of four months of severance pay since September. Before taxes and retirement contributions, that's about $40,000.

The Daily Herald obtained Robinson's resignation agreement through a Freedom of Information request, a process some park commissioners indicated was costly and burdensome on park staff this week.

Fullerton agreed the public should know the details of Robinson's resignation agreement. However, because it is a "dicey" employment issue, the park board paid for a legal opinion on what it could and should release. Fullerton said it does the same for all Freedom of Information requests.

"I'm into full disclosure and openness," he said.

Robinson did not respond to an interview request.

Under the resignation agreement, he is not allowed to make disparaging comments about the park district.