Hawthorn Woods switches to calendar year

In what officials called an attempt to clear up confusion, the Hawthorn Woods village board Monday night approved switching its fiscal year to match the actual calendar year.

Trustee Cliff Wright, who said he initially didn't support the measure, voted in favor of the proposal after doing research on the trend in other towns and companies.

''A lot of municipalities are moving toward this," Wright said.

Trustee James Silvers, the board liaison to the finance committee, said his professional experience led him to agree.

"Every company that we've purchased ... we always change the fiscal year to match the calendar year," Silvers said.

The village's fiscal year previously ended in April, with the budget typically coming out in February, Mayor Keith Hunt said.

Hunt said the village will adjust its revenues and expenditures to make sure there won't be shortfalls or artificial inflations in what would be an eight-month fiscal year in 2008.

The mayor also told the board both the previous village finance director, who recently resigned, and the village auditing firm were in favor of changing the fiscal year.

"It's easier for residents to understand," he said. "It makes it easier to account for certain things."

The vote ultimately came down 5-1 in favor of the change, with Trustee Steve Riess casting the no vote.