Trustees suggest cutting costs in downtown Lombard village hall plan

If Lombard’s going to open a satellite village hall downtown, trustees say it’s got to be cheap.

While some said Thursday night that they like the idea, the majority expressed concerns with the high cost of staffing and equipping another location. And one trustee, Zachary Wilson, came out strongly against opening a satellite location, saying he thinks the idea “is a big waste of time.”

Before any plans move forward to possibly offer village services at a location near Main Street and St. Charles Road, two village board committees — finance, and economic and community development — will consider a staff report about a possible downtown location, looking for ways to cut costs and deciding if the idea is a possibility.

Staff research presented by Finance Director Tim Sexton determined startup costs of opening a village service center in a space owned by Fifth Third Bank would be between $8,000 and $11,000 — even though the bank would offer the space for free. Startup funding would be necessary to build a desk, set up an Internet connection and buy office equipment such as a computer and printer, Sexton said.

Staffing the satellite service center 20 hours a week was estimated to cost $19,800 a year, which represents the salary of a new part-time employee who could be hired to work at the downtown location.

Trustees Peter Breen, Bill Ware and Laura Fitzpatrick suggested exploring other ways to staff a possible downtown location without hiring another employee.

“Having a $20,000-a-year price tag on it seems steep,” Breen said. “I support this concept. It’s just I would really like to see a lower cost on it.”

Opening a satellite village hall has been discussed in the past as one way to increase foot traffic in the area.

“The concept of having a satellite office down there I think sends a good message that we are definitely involved in downtown,” Trustee Keith Giagnorio said.

But Giagnorio added he’s not sure how much traffic such a location would see other than people looking to renew their parking stickers. A downtown satellite location also could offer village services such as bill payment, yard-waste stickers, senior taxi coupons and building-permit applications.

Trustee Greg Gron, who leads the finance committee, said the existing village hall, at 255 E. Wilson Ave., already is a convenient location for people who live anywhere in Lombard. Still, he said he’s glad to review the idea with his committee.

Fitzpatrick also said she supported committee review of the idea, which will come at meetings in June, although she’s also not convinced another village hall location is needed.

“Although this has always been a nice idea,” Fitzpatrick said, “I don’t know if it’s a necessary idea.”