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Politics & Government

Village Board Passes Annual Spending Plan

Last minute effort to add funds for part time police fails.

A proposed eleventh-hour amendment to find $50,000 to fund part-time police officers in the next fiscal year sparked serious debate, but ultimately failed to be added to the $12.4 million budget approved by the board of trustees.

An additional $50,000 would hire one part-time officer for a year. A full time police officer costs about $110,000.

Prior to the budget vote, Trustee Michael Horvath said he was concerned the budget that begins in May did not do enough to address safety in the village, which echoed concerns repeatedly raised by one La Grange resident during the budget process. Kathy Mungo has been an outspoken critic of a reduction in public safety funding during the budget process. During a period of public comment, Mungo said safety should be a priority for the village. She said she was concerned not enough was being done to address traffic along 47th Street and was also concerned about rising incidents of crime in the village.

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“This has been a bad economy and it’s created desperate times for people. I just don’t see that stopping, especially with a reduced police force,” Mungo said.  

Because of the tight budget, a vacant position in the police department will not be filled this fiscal year. Funds that would support the hiring of additional part-time police officers were also not included, despite being discussed at a budget workshop in March.

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When Horvath proposed the budget he offered several options for where the funding could be found, including in left over TIF District funds, as well as funds earmarked for traffic safety work along 47th Street and Waiola Park. Horvath said half the $100,000 fund for traffic calming devices on 47th Street could be used for part time officers while state grant funding could support the completion of the calming project.

Trustee Mark Kuchler said he supported the part-time officer program, especially with rising pension costs. He said he envisions more part-time officers being used by the village force in the future. However, Kuchler said he had a problem amending the budget at the last minute.

“When we discussed the budget, we discussed it in detail, yet no staff came forward during that time to suggest that we as a board look at funding this proposal,” Kuchler said.

Like Kuchler, Trustee Thomas Livingston said he supported the idea of increasing the number of part-time officers, but could not support an amendment without knowing exactly where the money would be found and how such a shift would impact other projects.

Trustee James Palermo supported Horvath’s proposal saying he believed the funds could be found if the board looked hard enough.

However Palermo was the only support Horvath had when it came to a vote on his amendment, and it failed 4-2.

Following the failure to pass the proposal, the board voted to pass the spending plan 5-1, with Horvath being the lone nay vote. After the meeting Horvath said his opposition to the budget plan boiled down to a difference in priorities. He said safety should be the top priority of the budget.

“The staff did a good job, but I just believe more could be done,” Horvath said.

Budget highlights of the spending plan for 2011-2012 include freezing of administrative staff salaries, increasing healthcare contributions to 10 percent and not filling some vacant positions in various departments. In addition, village employees would receive a 2 percent raise opposed to previous increases of nearly 3 percent. Those strict controls over personnel costs are expected to save the village approximately $500,000 annually.

In addition to passing the budget, the board unanimously approved a variance that will allow School District 105 to install a new parking lot that will provide 32 new spaces at Spring-Gurrie Schools on Spring Avenue. Several community residents spoke against the plan, saying it would eliminate already limited green space in the village.

“Once you lose green space it’s gone, you can’t get it back,” said Steve Metsch, a resident of Catherine Avenue.

Metsch said the teachers at the schools could continue parking on the street near his house like they have been doing.

The school currently has 65 parking spaces, but village code requires 108 on site spaces—one per employee plus four for visitors and guests. The new parking lot, coupled with 27 existing spaces on 53rd Street will meet the requirements.

Originally the school district wanted to build a parking lot for 50 spaces, but the village plan commission rejected that plan.

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