Barrington to trim roadwork budget

Barrington residents will see fewer road improvement projects next year, but otherwise are expected to receive the same level of services from the village, officials say.

The village has budgeted $610,000 for road improvements in 2011, compared to $1.4 million in 2010, because of a decrease in revenues from sales, tax and investment income, as well as increases in the village's required contributions to public safety pension funds, said Jason Hayden, Barrington's director of community and financial services.

The village will spend $645,000 for police pension contributions and $585,000 for fire pension contributions. In the last three years, the village has had to increase its pension contributions by an overall 44 percent despite having traditionally over-funded its pension plans, he said.

However, Hayden said Barrington is in relatively stable financial shape because it took swift cost-cutting measures when the economic downturn hit in 2008.

“We are not in decline anymore, we're definitely seeing improvements, but it's not ideal like five years ago, he said. “I am hopeful improvements will continue with sales taxes.

The 2011 budget accounts for 2.5 percent raises for non-unionized employees, and Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District employees who provide services to the district on a contract basis. The village is in negotiations to renew union contracts for police and public works employees, he said.

The village's $26 million budget has a $784,000 gap between revenues and expenditures, which will be covered by about $1 million from the $12.2 million capital improvements fund. The money will be used for equipment purchases and the road program, he said.

“That's money that we've been putting away for the last 20 years, he said. “A good analogy is like when you're purchasing a major improvement for your home, say a new roof, and you start saving five or six years earlier.

The village will buy a new fire truck pumper, whose $380,000 price tag will be split between the village and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District. It will spend a total of $322,000 for new administrative, fire protection and public works vehicles.

The village's Ford Crown Victorias will be replaced with Ford Escape and Ford Focus models with better gas mileage. “They require constant maintenance, they were the old, beat-up squad cars, said Greg Summers, the village's director of engineering and building.

Capital improvement projects include $370,000 in water main improvements, and $730,000 in sanitary sewer improvements, among others. Two more lift stations will be built.

Staffing throughout village departments will remain unchanged, with the exception of the elimination of a part-time public service officer position, Hayden said. The job has been unfilled since an employee left about a month ago.

That will save the village $46,000 yearly, but the village would also lose $23,000 in revenues from parking tickets generated by the officer, Police Chief Jerry Libit pointed out. One part-time public service officer will remain employed by the village.

Twenty-six full-time village jobs have been lost in Barrington after layoffs, incentivized retirements and a couple of departures since 2008, Hayden said. The village now has 107 full-time positions, down from 133 in 2008. The number of part-time positions increased from 17 to 23 in the same time period.

Current unfilled positions include the assistant police chief and one of the public works supervisors. The village doesn't have plans to restore any positions, Hayden said.

The 2011 budget accounts for 2.5 percent raises for employees of the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District and non-unionized employees. The village is in negotiations to renew union contracts for police and public works employees, he said.

In 2011, the balance of the village's general fund will be $10.1 million, or about four months' worth of operating costs, Hayden said. That's right on target for a municipality of Barrington's size, he said.

Next year's budget accounts for $175,000 set aside for emergencies. If unused by the end of next year, that money will additionally fund the road program and more equipment purchases, Hayden said.

The engineering and building department will evaluate whether it should increase building permit fees based on cost analysis and comparison with other municipalities, and will likely discuss this with the board in February, Summers said. Any increases would be implemented in the spring.

The legal budget document will be available for public review beginning Nov. 12 at the Barrington Area Library, 505 Northwest Hwy., village hall, 200 S. Hough St., and online at barrington-il.gov, Hayden said.

Barrington budget by the numbers

A look at the village of Barrington's proposed 2011 spending plan

Ÿ $610,000 for road projects, down from $1.4 million in 2010

Ÿ $370,000 in water main improvements

Ÿ $730,000 in sanitary sewer improvements

Ÿ Will fund work force of 107 full-time positions, down from 133 in 2008, and 23 part-timers, up from 17

Ÿ Will fund 2.5% raises for Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District employees and non-unionized workers

Ÿ Police and fire pension costs up 44% in three years

Ÿ $645,000 for police pension contributions

Ÿ $585,000 for fire pension contributions

Ÿ $784,000 gap between revenues, expenditures. Gap to be filled using about $1 million from capital improvements fund.

Final approval by village board is set for Nov. 22