Algonquin streets tops on to-do list

Road improvements is Algonquin's top job to be done during the fiscal year that starts May 1.

The village board this week approved its new $38 million spending plan, which reserves nearly $6.1 million for capital improvement projects.

The lion's share of that fund, or $3.5 million, will go toward street improvements. And $1.6 million of that will be spent on extensive road, drainage and curb repairs within the Arrowhead subdivision.

The rest is slated for patching up Hanson Road between County Line and Edgewood, then from Edgewood to Huntington, two phases of restoring Raft Creek's tributaries and repairs to the hill wall on Huntington.

The upcoming fiscal year's capital improvement budget is $5 million smaller than last year's, due to the housing market slump.

With construction slowing down, the village has received significantly less money from developers to finance new projects.

As a result, officials said, the village is now in "savings mode."

Meanwhile, roughly half of the entire budget -- $19.5 million -- is devoted to staffers' salary, benefits and insurance.

That money includes two employees who will be added to the payroll, Assistant Village Manager Jenna Kollings said.

One person will be an administrative analyst for the village's general services administration department.

The other employee, a service technician, will be responsible for routine oil changes and for maintaining generators. The village previously outsourced the latter duty.

Lastly, the village has reserved $150,800 on salt, sand and related deicing materials -- $30,000 more than the budget year coming to a close.

Due to the relentless snow that blanketed the town this winter and spring, Algonquin went over budget in that area, to the tune of at least $9,200.

Residents in May will be able to view the budget in its entirety at www.algonquin.org.