Joliet City Council members awarded their outgoing city manager a generous severance package after less than a year on the job. The ex-official will also be allowed to seek unemployment, even though some council members said he wanted to leave.

The Government Severance Pay Act places a cap on – and attaches strings to – golden parachute severance payouts for outgoing government employees.

David St. Pierre is the latest Illinois government employee to receive a generous severance package, despite leaving under questionable circumstances.

Southern Illinois University President Randy Dunn will receive a $215,000 severance package before taking a lucrative job at the university’s Edwardsville campus.

The excessive severance package comes as a bill curbing golden parachutes sits in the Illinois House of Representatives.

The Government Severance Pay Act would spare taxpayers the burden of providing excessive severance payouts to outgoing public officials.