Yes, that Larry Deetjen -- the former Deerfield Beach city manager who was practically joined at the hip with mayor-turned-felony-suspect Al Capellini. Despite rumors that Deetjen would be swooping back around to take his old job back from Mike Mahaney -- Mayor Peggy Noland doesn't like the way Mahaney parks his car -- Deetjen appears to be doing just fine in his new role as the mayor village manager of Oak Lawn, Illinois.
So fine that suburban Chicagoans are having trouble distinguishing him from the mayor. From the Southtown Star:
Hired out of Deerfield Beach, Fla., to become Oak Lawn's village manager in July 2007, it became clear at a village board meeting Tuesday night that Deetjen is now running things - while an impotent Mayor Dave Heilmann protests that he is kept in the dark and implies that secret deals are being made.From a safe distance of a 1,000 miles or so, Deetjen's very nearly a loveable rogue -- especially when you read how he's managed to turn four of the village trustees against the mayor, rendering the man elected to lead the people a mere figurehead. Deetjen, you rascal!
Anyway, tough break, Oak Lawn. But that's what happens when you don't do your homework on your new village manager.
