Palatine's 2010 budget to lay off three employees

As expected, Palatine officials will adopt a 2010 budget that includes layoffs.

Three employees - two full-time and one part-time - will be cut in order to pass a balanced budget that's still an overall 13 percent decrease from 2009. Village Manager Reid Ottesen declined to say which departments will be affected because he's still working out separation agreements.

A public hearing was held Monday with only one resident speaking out against the proposal, clearing the way for officials to formally adopt the document at the Dec. 14 village council meeting.

"I believe the budget does meet the core public safety needs ... residents will be well-served by it," Ottesen said.

Since the budget review process began in late October, Ottesen and his staff found ways to trim next year's expenditures by more than $1 million. Most cuts came through personnel, including the layoffs and the five or so people who took voluntary early separation packages. Several more positions have been eliminated through attrition.

Ottesen said the general public won't notice a decline in services, except for possible timeliness issues regarding the scheduling of inspections.

Palatine's operating budget will grow by 1.1 percent to $61.3 million compared to 2009. The total budget, which includes capital projects, TIF district, debt service, insurance and pension requirements, will shrink 13 percent to $126.6 million. Accounting for a large portion of the overall budget's decrease is the Dundee Road TIF district, where the village has paid the last of its debt service, Ottesen said.