Police station questions haunt Glen Ellyn's budget
Glen Ellyn's new budget, which begins in January, calls for an increase in the village's property tax levy to capture revenue from new construction and a neighborhood incorporated into its borders.
But there are some unknowns when it comes to spending in the $63.8 million blueprint, approved unanimously by trustees. Chief among them is the cost of the proposed police station.
"It's time for us to make difficult decisions and invest in that property, invest in our police department, do it right," said Village President Alex Demos.
The village's operating budget is balanced and projected to grow 1.2 percent over last year. The budget currently sets aside $11.8 million for the station, money the village borrowed by issuing bonds. But police and village officials now say the project is underfunded.
They say they've shaved the footprint from what consultants recommended and they're challenged by the four-acre site, more than half of which lies in a floodplain. Architects have split the station into two separate buildings that would be constructed on the highest - and driest - edges of the property along Park Boulevard.
Police support an estimated $15.4 million station that would include a community room and $1.6 million fully-equipped shooting range in the smaller of the two buildings. Other alternatives range between $13.2 million and $14.5 million, depending on the scope of the project.
The board will meet again at 6:30 p.m. Monday to try to set a price tag.
Beyond the bonds, officials say about $350,000 in capital funds could pay for improvements to the site.
Police also could reimburse the village with $1.6 million projected to be seized from drug-related arrests.
Some trustees say they want to see what a $12 million station would look like before making a decision.
"We have other projects that are vitally necessary in this town, including passage above and below the train tracks for pedestrian and vehicular traffic," said Trustee Tim Elliott. "Those projects are competing for dollars with this police station and I'm really bothered by the fact that we appear to be placing all available resources in this project."
Excluding the police station, the village has budgeted about $8 million for capital projects. Officials also are applying for grants that could offset the cost of a possible pedestrian bridge over the train tracks downtown near the Metra station.
The budget includes $100,000 for the first phase of an engineering study into the structure.
On the revenue side, residents will continue paying $16.86 per 1,000 gallons on their 2016 water and sewer bills. Those fees were left unchanged, but the village's financial planners have suggested raising the rates annually the next four years to help pay for infrastructure projects.
The village also will seek a 2.4 percent increase on its property tax levy in order to get revenue from new construction and about 150 properties around Bemis Road that were annexed into Glen Ellyn after homeowners sought village utilities.
That 2.4 percent doesn't include an increase tied to inflation.
"Not having a general tax increase and freezing water and sewer rates are both beneficial to the residents obviously, but at the same time we're going to continue to provide quality infrastructure to meet the expectations of the community," said Village Manager Mark Franz.
On Monday, the board was supposed to discuss the future of the two volunteer fire company stations, but those talks have been pushed to January, Franz said. Station No. 1 downtown is "at the end of its useful life," Franz said. And station No. 2 on Taft Avenue has parking and storage needs.
Those building issues and how to pay for them - raising a service fee, issuing bonds or tapping facility reserves are some options, Franz said - will be considered next month. In 2015, the fee is expected to generate $798,000.
Residents began paying the fee last year after sagging donations to the company - about 15 to 20 percent voluntarily contributed.