South Elgin budget balanced but National Night Out on hiatus
The village of South Elgin projects a balanced operating budget for 2020-21 and a decreased property tax rate for the 6th consecutive year, but will put its National Night Out event on hiatus this summer because of police staffing issues.
The village's property tax levy will go up to account for cost of living increases and new construction, but officials estimate a tax rate of 0.6235%, down from 0.7020% for taxes paid in 2014, Deputy Village Administrator Megan Golden said. That means tax bills would decrease slightly for properties with stable assessed values, she said.
The village continues to adhere to its policy of maintaining 50% or more in reserves for the general fund that pays for day-to-day operations, officials said. The fiscal year starts May 1.
General fund expenses are proposed at $17.3 million, a 2.6% or so increase over the current fiscal year, with an end of year surplus of $55,728, Village Administrator Steve Super said. The redevelopment of Panton Mill Park is budgeted a $4.1 million, with some costs expected to be paid out of the current budget year based on the timing of delivery and services. The project includes a band shell, restrooms, landscaping and more, with a groundbreaking ceremony March 16.
Some police officers are retiring so the police department is focused on hiring and having adequate staffing on the streets, Super said. The village employs 30 police officers plus two who are going through the police academy; the goal is to hire another officer to start the academy March 30 and one more after May 1, for a total of 34 officers, Police Deputy Chief Mike Doty said.
The police department, under the guidance of officer Jim Creighton, has organized since 2017 a large National Night Out event in August with music and more at Jim Hansen Park. Creighton, however, has been reassigned to South Elgin High School, whose school resource officer has been off work since he was injured breaking up a fight in October. Typically the work to organize National Night Out starts in February and yields about $12,000 in expenses plus police staffing costs, Doty said.
"That's a shame, we had a lot of momentum for that," Trustee Greg Lieser said about putting the event on hiatus. He floated the idea of holding it at Panton Mill Park in future years.
"If it's something we do every other year, I think the community would be fine with it," Trustee Mike Kolodziej said.
As for village employee expenses, the budget includes a 2.5% raise for all nonunion staffers. Negotiations for the police union contract, which expires April 30, are expected to start shortly. The contract for public works employees, which expired April 30, 2018, is being negotiated.
Employee health care expenses are expected to stay flat, mostly because health savings account options, or HSA, "have encouraged employees to spend less," resulting in fewer costs for the village, Super said. The village will only offer HSA plans starting in 2020-21.
The village's required police pension contribution will be $1.6 million, or a 4.7% increase from last year, but an improvement over double-digit increases in previous years, officials said.