Glen Ellyn restores economic development funding

An economic development group in Glen Ellyn will get more money from the village than originally proposed, though its role in overall business recruitment and retention efforts is less clear.

A draft version of the village’s 2011-12 fiscal budget included $70,000 for the Glen Ellyn Economic Development Corporation — a $121,000 cut from last year. But after the nonprofit’s board president sent village officials a letter arguing the group wouldn’t be able to do its job with less money, trustees decided this week to provide additional funding.

An additional $55,000 will be given to the EDC — a result of a surplus from the current fiscal year’s special programs fund.

Village President Mark Pfefferman said the EDC would be fully funded through the end of the calendar year. That will ensure the group can continue its work under its only full-time employee, Executive Director Janie Patch.

After that, the group will be paid month to month through the end of next April, when the fiscal year ends.

“(The extra funding) enables us to continue our operations until the end of the calendar year,” Patch said. “It’s up in the air after that.”

Pfefferman said a new village manager, once hired, is expected to discuss the future of economic development efforts in Glen Ellyn with the EDC and other stakeholders, such as the chamber of commerce. Those conversations are expected to assess the role of the EDC’s executive director.

“What is the strategy? Should the position be full- time, part-time, or be cut?” Pfefferman said. “Those questions need to be answered.”

EDC President Neil Dishman, in his letter to Pfefferman and village trustees, argued that money spent on a full-time staff member directly helps the group accomplish its goal of bringing businesses to town.

The village has reduced funding for groups like the EDC in an effort to handle more economic development duties in house.

In total, the $39.8 million budget, which goes into effect Sunday, includes $391,000 in economic development funding.

Last year’s budget had a $1.9 million deficit in which reserve funds had to be used, but this year there is an $83,000 surplus. Spending in the overall budget is 5.9 percent less than a year ago, mainly due to reductions in the street improvement program, according to interim Finance Director Larry Noller.

In the past three years, the number of full-time positions in the village has been trimmed from 184 to 159. This year, a police officer vacancy won’t be filled, while three other officer positions have remained unfilled due to a lack of funding, Noller said.

The water rate will increase 5 percent and the sewer rate will increase 10 percent for village customers, in order to pass on increases from the DuPage Water Commission.

For 1,000 gallons of water used, the water rate will rise from $6.04 to $6.34, and the sewer rate from $4.90 to $5.39.