Lake Zurich candidates suggest cost cuts

As Lake Zurich struggles financially, candidates for the village board are eyeing various potential budget cuts as ways to save money.

The candidates suggested a variety of possible cuts during a recent discussion at the Daily Herald’s Lake County office. Consolidating services, merging the police department with a neighboring agency and cutting parks spending were among the ideas proposed.

Five candidates are competing for three, 4-year terms. They are: incumbents Tom Poynton and Dana Rzeznik; and former trustee and mayor John Tolomei; and newcomers Mark Ernst and Jenny Talley.

Ernst suggested combining some public services with neighboring towns, such as Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer or Deer Park. Creating a single public-works department that serves multiple towns could work, or a single police department that crosses village lines.

“(Maybe) we can share and have a really good service,” Ernst said.

Tolomei said the village investigated consolidating police departments a few years ago. It may be time to look into that again, he said.

Tolomei said he’d also support cutting the parks and recreation budget if programming cuts could be made up by teaming with other agencies, such as the local YMCA. That could help them save money and expand services, he said.

Talley suggesting outsourcing some programs but didn’t recommend any specific work that could be done by private companies for the village. She also backed consolidating police departments.

Rzeznik said board members scrutinized spending during budget planning last year and hopes officials will recommend “bare-bones” spending this year.

Code-enforcement and information-technology services could be outsourced, Rzeznik said. She owns a business in Deer Park, and that town uses a private company for building-and-zoning inspections, she said.

Poynton was the only candidate who didn’t suggest any budget reductions.

“Not having seen the new budget, I’m not going to go there at this point,” he said.