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Politics & Government

Trustees Disagree On Outsourcing Village Post

Trustee Philip O.C. White was the lone dissent in a vote to outsource a village mechanic position.

Village of Glenview trustees didn't see eye to eye on a measure to outsource the job of a retiring village mechanic at its regular meeting Tuesday, March 1.

The agreement calls for $155,200 plus a $17,250 contigency to be allotted for work over the next year. The village is responsible for maintaining and repairing 157 vehicles and in January of this year, one of the village's Fleet Services Division mechanics retired.

At the center of the issue was the question of whether eliminating the job of village mechanic and instead outsource the maintenance work of government vehicles to  was a sound economic decision.

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According to a memo from Village Manager Todd Hileman, administrator believe "this arrangement could be the most efficient, effective and economical for the division" because of the dealership's proximity to village facilities, the dealership's previous working relationship with the village and the fact that the number of labor hours the division has devoted to its 88 light and medium-duty vehicles is "very close" to the number of hours offered by one staff mechanic.

However, Trustee Philip White  did not agree.

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"I don't agree with the economics of this," he said. "Not only are we going to have our overhead, we're also going to have an overhead at Bredemann."

White said the village would end up spending $100,000 more under the agreement.

Hileman disagreed, saying the mechanic who retired cost the village $130,000 a year. He also said the village may not spend the entire $155,200 allotted in the agreement because "we're not sure how the workload is going to match up with the lighter fleet."

Deputy Village Manager Chris Clark also noted the cost to outsource to Bredemann includes purchasing parts for vehicles, which could cost the village up to $50,000 a year.

White remained unconvinced.

"I would have to see more detail," he said. "I have great difficulty believing the cost of a mechanic is $130,000 a year. I just can't believe that."

Though White's colleagues noted his objections, they ultimately opted to give village administrators the go-ahead, voting to pass the measure. Officials also said they would re-examine the issue next year.

"If you look at all the things we've done the last few years...each time the staff gives a recommendation, I'd say nine times out of 10, we follow it," said Trustee Jim Patterson. "I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and support this."

Village receives money to fight emerald ash borer

In other business, the village will receive a $20,000 grant from the Metro Mayors Caucus to help fight infestations of the emerald ash borer in local ash trees.

Director of Public Works Jerry Burke said 117 trees have been removed from the village due to the invasion of the small Asian beetle, which causes the trees to die.

The EAV was discovered in Glenview in 2008. Burke said it's too early to tell if treatments of 580 village trees is working; it typically takes three to five years to see results.

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