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Politics & Government

Village Trustees Approve Budget, Cut Costs to Reduce Deficits

As officials chip away at looming budget deficits, some residents still question budgetary decisions.

Village officials have slashed a $1.9 million deficit by $700,000 for fiscal year 2011, according to a budget approved by trustees Dec. 13.

Even with the newly deflated $1.2 million deficit, the village continues to struggle financially in the economic downturn and has responded with several cost-saving measures. In addition to projected 2011 savings, a $3.7 million deficit in 2012 has been reduced to an estimated $2.3 million.

Next year, the village will also cut about $600,000 in personnel costs through the  (VSP) originally proposed in November, according to a memo from Village Manager Todd Hileman. That reduction will will be added to the 2011 reduction after final numbers are considered by trustees in February, officials explained.

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Fifteen employees are eligible for the VSP. Officials anticipate that as many as 10 will take advantage of the program, resulting in an estimated $600,000 savings in 2011 and $750,000 in 2012.

Other ways the village will save include:

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* Eliminating five full-time positions to save approximately $420,000, including the communications director position, which will be downgraded to part-time, two public safety support services positions, part-time seasons public works employees and two public works maintenance equipment operators;

*Reducing overtime by $350,000  ( $50,000 due to a "more flexible staffing model" in the Joint Dispatch Center and $300,000 through reducing one of three village ambulances between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. when call volumes drop by 50 percent)

* Drawing on nearly $11 million in reserve funds;

* Shaving $127,299 from the fund to replace capital equipment.

View the full village budget report here.

"I am cautiously optimistic that the aforementioned expense reductions should provide the Village with the ability to navigate the [fiscal year] 2011 budget period, assuming that revenue trends hold, while chipping away approximately $1.4 million of the projected $3.7 million [fiscal year] 2012 budget deficit," Hileman wrote to trustees.

Residents have questions

But for some residents, officials' budgetary cuts don't seem to be enough. 

Jack Haggerty and John Brennan attended Monday's meeting to question the board about budget decisions, with complaints about increasing property tax bills, village services and other costs.

"You've done a good job, you've tried hard but you haven't gone far enough," said Brennan.

Haggerty said it was irresponsible of trustees to maintain services at current levels in the face of the coming deficits.

"If I saw this correctly, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I saw a draw down of reserves of roughly $11 million," Haggerty said. "....You effectively are printing money using my [taxpayers'] checkbook and I take offense."

Trustees responded to the two men's complaints with frank questions of their own.

"I appreciate the comment of the residents here, but for one thing, you certainly had the opportunity to join us at our budget workshops over the last three months," said Trustee Pat Cuisinier.

Cuisinier told the residents that it's "easy to say we're doing a lousy job, but you really haven't looked at the figures and I personally don't appreciate your comments."

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