Special events budget gets cut for next year

Des Plaines officials are leaning on a group of volunteers to use more private donations for special events. Aldermen this week decided to slash the city's share of funding to the special events commission by 80 percent for next year.

Instead of $50,000, the city will give the commission $10,000 to put on the Fourth of July, Taste of Des Plaines and New Year's Eve celebration.

Second Ward Alderman Martin Moylan proposed cutting the special events commission budget. The special events commission has $73,000 in the bank, which aldermen said is more than enough to host the events.

Moylan instead suggested the commission be set up as a nonprofit group, and rely more on private sponsors.

Other aldermen agreed.

"I do believe there are sponsors who want to do this," 8th Ward Alderman Rosemary Argus said.

Third Ward Alderman Laura Murphy called for more financial accounting from the group of volunteers.

First Ward Alderman Patricia Beauvais opposed giving the commission a blank check because she said it might not motivate members to seek private money.

Seventh Ward Alderman Don Smith said he doesn't feel the commission needed the $50,000 proposed.

If the commission does need more money to host its events next year, organizers could come back to the city to request it.

Linda Forman, who chairs the commission, and Jim Wozny, who organizes the New Year's Eve event, addressed aldermen this week.

There were questions about the group's accounting from former Alderman Dick Sayad, who spoke before the council.

"We've done the best we can," Forman said.

Acting City Manager Jason Bajor said every city dollar is accounted for by the city.

Wozny said the group already uses mostly private donations for its events.

For its New Year's Eve party at the Des Plaines Public Library, the group uses only about $6,000 of the city's money toward the $60,000 it costs to put on the event, Wozny said.

Resident Dion Kendrick questioned why aldermen who had just approved $75,000 for a lobbyist wouldn't cut the budget for events that residents can actually enjoy.

Special events funding also came up during budget talks for this year with former Alderman Tom Christiansen calling to increase spending from $50,000 to $100,000. His efforts failed to get support from his council colleagues.

Good luck, Tara: Tara McCullough, 17, of Elk Grove Village will compete this weekend at the Miss Illinois Teen USA pageant in Chicago.

McCullough, daughter of Jerry and Bianca McCullough, attends Elk Grove High School.