Lake County towns holding their own despite shaky economy
A continued economic slump has forced communities to spend less, but the impact to residents has been kept to a minimum, representatives from four Lake County communities said Tuesday.
Cuts have become routine because sales tax revenues have dropped and new development has slowed to a crawl, leaving town staffs and elected officials with no choice but to hang in there.
Libertyville Mayor Terry Weppler, Green Oaks Trustee Virginia Wood, Mundelein Mayor Ken Kessler and Vernon Hills Village Manager Mike Allison updated members of the GLMV Chamber of Commerce during the group's annual "Ask the Mayors" luncheon.
In Vernon Hills, the number of full-time employees has been reduced over the last five or six years from 128 to 109.
"What we want to do is keep everyone employed yet we have to save money so we looked at shared services," Allison said.
On the revenue side, noticeable vacancies have put a dent in sales taxes, but an advisory committee of local experts has been formed to see what can be done to fill the gaps and attract new businesses.
Wood cited two milestones for the village: its 50th anniversary and population growth to 4,000 residents. She said the village employs the equivalent of 1.5 people.
"We're doing a lot of normally what a municipal staff would do," she said. "We're unique. So much of this is totally volunteered or outsourced."
The big project is the pending reconstruction of Atkinson Road and conversion of an adjoining wetland area in conjunction with Libertyville Township into a usable recreation space.
The village borrowed money for the project but maintains a top bond rating, she added.
"For our size, it's been a very good year," Wood said.
Economic development has slowed significantly in Mundelein, according to Kessler, but there are projects pending.
A 600,000-square-foot Mundelein Town Center along Route 83 near Route 176 is stalled because of a lawsuit, he said. An easement dispute has delayed construction of a CVS pharmacy near routes 83 and 45, but it is expected to be resolved soon, he added.
Kessler said home building has stopped, although only more than 500 of 724 units at the Grand Dominion development have sold.
The village will be considering downtown design standards and a comprehensive plan update and intends to try and reduce the backlog of local road repairs.
As far as the budget, the village is looking to cut overtime and laid off two police officers, which Kessler said wouldn't affect day-to-day crime prevention efforts.
Weppler, who was elected mayor last month, says the village is working with car dealers, its single largest source of sales tax revenue. He noted that none were targeted by manufacturers to close, a testament to their customer service.
He noted that volunteers run many community events, and from that standpoint, residents won't see much change, including at Libertyville Days, the village's main summer event.
"We're not cutting back. Our theme this year is, 'There's no place like home,'" he said.