Wheeling OKs buyouts for 15 employees

The Wheeling Village Board approved severance packages to 15 longtime employees on Monday night.

The employees who took the voluntary buyouts work in all major village departments, including police, fire, community development and public works, said Village Manager Jon Sfondilis.

The village spent $441,400 on the buyouts.

"All of the employees have worked for the village for a while," Sfondilis said. "I don't think there are any with less than 20 years of experience."

Their last day will be Feb. 26.

In December, the village board approved a total budget for all funds of nearly $75 million for 2010. That includes roughly $32 million in general fund expenditures for operations, water and sewer projects, debt service payments, police and fire pension contributions, tax increment financing and capital projects costs.

Officials whittled a projected $5.3 million deficit next year down to $2.4 million largely by increasing the village's portion of the property tax levy by 7.5 percent from the 2009 extension, raising the hotel/motel tax from 5 percent to 6 percent and increasing the water and sewer rate by 4.5 percent.

The village also saved money by eliminating the Fourth of July parade/fireworks and holiday lighting next year, cutting down on legal costs, changing insurance providers, and deferring street improvements.

Officials are scrimping where they can. The village board cut meal allowances for employees traveling out-of-town on village business. Under the new policy, employees get a per day meal allowance only if staying overnight.

The 2010 village budget represents a 23 percent decrease in expenditures from 2009. That's because the village is spending roughly $22 million less next year because two of its largest construction projects - the new village hall and public works facility - are now complete. The village took on $40 million in additional bond debt for those projects.