Des Plaines budget talks begin

Des Plaines city officials are gearing up for 2011 budget talks next month.

The city council will meet Sept. 28 and 29 to review General Fund revenues and expenditures, and Sept. 30 to discuss public safety. Discussions will continue on all other city funds Oct. 20 and 25.

The city made drastic cuts in 2009 and 2010's budgets.

Earlier this year, the city council voted not to give what would have been a roughly 3.5 percent pay raise to roughly 25 to 30 nonunion, nonmanagement employees.

About three-fourths of the city's roughly 350 employees belong to police, fire and public works unions, who continue to receive raises based on performance reviews.

Officials have said those contracts will not be reopened for renegotiation. The city is now in the midst of contract negotiations with its firefighters.

As in the past two years, city managers could see their salaries frozen due to budget constraints.

Last year, the city's 12 department heads and other senior staff members voluntarily gave up their pay raises, saving the city about $70,000. Still budgeted expenditures for 2010 totaled $101 million.

In 2009, Des Plaines laid off 12 employees and scaled back operations, including privatizing some city services. This year, the city has eliminated 38 employee positions through layoffs, attrition and early retirement incentives.