Elgin likely to renew membership in municipal association

Just as it did a year ago, Elgin likely will be renewing its membership with Metro West Council of Government over the objections of three city council members during a committee of the whole meeting Wednesday night.

Elgin's $30,000 yearly membership runs May 1 to April 30, 2016. Dues are based on a municipality's size, with the smallest towns, like Plattville in Kendall County, paying $750 per year, Metro West Executive Director Mary Randle said. Elgin's dues have not changed since the group was formed in 2004; Aurora also pays $30,000 per year, she said.

The group has 34 members in Kane, DeKalb and Kendall counties, which is double what it had when it formed in 2004. Plano is the only municipality to terminate its membership in the last few years, Randle said.

"When the municipalities are banded together, they have a lot more power and influence," she said. "It's something for one community or a couple of communities to address an issue, but if they're addressing it together in an organization that represents more than 750,000 people in an area - I think their voice gives them strength."

Councilmen Terry Gavin, Toby Shaw and John Prigge cast the dissenting votes.

"$30,000 has not been shown to me in the last two-plus years that we've received equal value," Gavin said.

Prigge questioned several of the group's practices, including not posting minutes of its board meetings on its website and holding board meetings only eight times a year

"Networking is mandatory in this business, there is no question about it, but not for $30,000," Prigge said.

Metro West would have gone out of business years ago if it were just a networking organization, Randle said.

"We agree you are giving a great deal of money. We take that very seriously," she said.

Metro West is much more than networking to the group and has focused on issues such as water conservation and transportation, Councilman John Steffen said.

"Those are issues that can't be resolved in a city-by-city format - they have to be attacked on a regional basis, so it's important we have a regional organization to do that. It saves us money in the long run," he said.

Councilwoman Carol Rauschenberger agreed. "Metro West is a good way for us to lead and be leaders, as our mayor is, and to support the communities around us who don't have the population and the resources," she said. "I believe as a government we don't stand alone. We all need each other."

Kaptain, the current president of Metro West, said those who cast the "no" votes have not attended the group's meetings. Also, all council members were invited to the organization's annual April trip to Springfield, which included meetings with Senate President John Cullerton, Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno and other prominent legislative members, Kaptain said, and that was a chance for council members' voices to be heard. "You had a chance to do it and you weren't there," he said.

Kaptain said he also met with House Speaker Michael Madigan and state Rep. Anna Moeller.

The most critical topic addressed during the April trip was avoiding cuts to municipalities' share of state income taxes, Randle said. Elgin's loss would amount to about $5 million per year under Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed Turnaround Agenda.

Shaw pointed out he doesn't agree with that stance. Municipalities should be willing to give up some of their share of state income taxes to help balance the state's budget, he said.

Another important topic addressed was the idea of combining the more than 600 local public safety pension funds across the state, Randle said, which could save municipalities money on consultants and yield greater returns on investments.

Metro West also is working to provide a new member benefit by joining a purchasing cooperative through the Northwest Municipal Conference, Randle said. "That would save a considerable amount on everything from police cars all the way down to smaller items," she said.

Randle said she is the only full-time employee of Metro West, which has an annual budget of about $200,000 and includes a part-time administrative assistant, along with an attorney and engineering consultant.

"We very much value Elgin's membership. Obviously they are kind of one of our flagship members," she said. "We're always interested in what they think."