Prospect Heights may form finance committee

Prospect Heights city alderman will consider forming a finance committee to oversee the budget and financial statements for the city council.

As early as Monday at the next city council meeting, aldermen could vote on forming the committee that would likely be comprised of two aldermen, the finance director and a Prospect Heights citizen, city official said.

One of the main goals of the committee is to help the council understand the city's financial state, so it can better discuss it with citizens who have questions. The committee could also help with long-range financial planning, officials said.

The committee would operate like the city's other subcommittees, including the water and human relations committee, which reports to the council on a regular basis.

Not everyone is in favor of it.

Alderman John Styler called it micromanaging of city staff, which is capable of answering the council's questions directly. He added the staff is able to deal with the city's finances without elected officials forming a committee to oversee them.

But Alderman Dolly Vole said she'd vote for it and like to serve on the committee if it's formed. She said she hoped one of the committee's functions would be to talk to residents about city finances, especially if they had questions.

The committee "would oversee the finances and make sure the budget is tight," Vole said.

Mayor Pat Ludvigsen said he likes the idea, although he wouldn't vote on it unless there was a tie on the council. The committee would likely meet once a month to review finances and the city's purchasing, he said.

"If we do it properly, it'd be a big help," Ludvigsen said.

Anyone interested in serving on the committee, should contact the city hall at (847) 398-6070.