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08/22/11: Minutes- Budget Workshop - July 27, 2011
The Hillcrest Village Board of Trustees met in special session Wednesday, July
27, 2011 for a budget workshop, at the Hillcrest Village Hall. President Whalen
called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. answering the roll call were Trustees
Jim McMullin, Jeanie Sparacino, Rich Elliott, Randall Salsbury, Rick Rhoads and
Vicki Stewart.
President Whalen stated you have all been given a copy of
the appropriation ordinance for fiscal year 2012; please review it carefully.
Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that the total appropriation for fiscal year
2012 is four hundred seventy-six thousand one hundred twenty-three dollars
($476,123). Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that the water department needed
to cut $20,000 out of its budget. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated revenues are
estimated at $125,480 and expenses are estimated at $144,900 leaving a negative
balance of approximately $20,000.
Clerk Adams stated that according to
the water rate study performed by Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers with
the new rate increases we are supposed to be setting aside money to replace
water mains at the cost of $90,000 per block per year; how are we going to
accomplish that goal. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that she had expensed
$60,000 for Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers fees and $9,000 for the
annual audit to the water department instead of the general fund. After a brief
discussion it was the consensus of the board of trustees to expense the
engineering fees back to the general fund.
Trustee Rhoads asked what is
the cost of the soil borings? Clerk Adams stated $37,300. Trustee Salsbury asked
if the Village
had paid Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers for the
soil borings. Clerk Adams stated no, Testing Service Corporation is a
subcontractor for Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers; the Village is
responsible for paying the bill not Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers.
Clerk Adams stated with the payments to Baxter & Woodman Consulting
Engineers and the bill for the soil borings that is just under $100,000 out of
the water department; actually it is $97,300.
Trustee Elliott stated
according to Treasurer, Penelope Payton the projected revenue is $125,480 and
the spreadsheet that lists the top eight sources of revenue shows revenues of
$139,010. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that she doesn’t always agree with
what Clerk Adams has for revenue. Clerk Adams explained that the report showing
the top eight sources of revenue is based on a calendar year and the projected
revenue Treasurer, Penelope Payton shows is based on a fiscal year; that is why
the numbers are different.
Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated the only
thing that she sees that would be a possibility would be to take that $20,000
from another fund like you have been doing all along; originally the entire
$60,000 was paid from the general fund. Trustee Stewart asked why did we stop
doing that. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated because this is not a general fund
expense. Clerk Adams stated that she was under the impression that all of the
sewer costs were coming out of the general fund that way it would be easier to
pay the money back when the money from the sewer starts coming
in.
Trustee Stewart stated that she did not see why the money couldn’t
come out to the general fund basically it is an engineering fee for something
that we don’t even have yet. Trustee Stewart stated I don’t see why it can’t
come out of the general fund until the money starts coming in. President Whalen
asked how long the engineering fees have been paid out of the general fund.
Clerk Adams stated to the best of her knowledge all of the sewer expenses have
been coming out of the general fund. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that the
auditor has been switching that money around with audit adjustments. Treasurer,
Penelope Payton stated that she did not see anywhere for the water department to
cut. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that in preparing for the meeting she
noticed that from fiscal year 09 until now the budget has dropped $300,000.
Clerk Adams stated the one thing that concerns her is that there is no
room in this budget for any extras and the government is very good at issuing
unfunded mandates; the last one that the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency imposed on the Village costs over $17,000 for updates in the pump house.
Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated due to fact that our Federal and State
governments can’t make us their minds what they are doing she has a real concern
whether the Village’s revenue streams will continue to come in on a steady
basis. Clerk Adams stated at this point in time all of the Village’s revenue
streams from the State are up-to-date; at one time payments were running almost
four months behind. After a brief discussion it was the consensus of the board
of trustees to transfer $20,000 for Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers
back to the general fund.
Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that she was
concerned that there was nothing budgeted in the police department for
telephones and last year that expense was $1,300. After a brief discussion it
was the consensus of the board of trustees to budget $400 for the police
department for telephones.
President Whalen stated that she received
paperwork for a grant of $1,100 from the Liquor Commission; they offer a grant
every year for municipalities with a police department. President Whalen stated
that the police department must go into the local establishments that sell
cigarettes three times a year to ensure that they are not selling to minors.
President Whalen stated even though the deadline has passed there is still money
in the fund and as long as the Village applies we will be awarded a grant of
$1,100 from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Treasurer,
Penelope Payton stated that she noticed that last year $3,000 was appropriated
for tree removal and it was expensed to administration. Treasurer, Penelope
Payton asked why wasn’t that expensed to buildings and grounds. Trustee Stewart
stated that tree removal is expensed to streets because the Village only removes
trees if they have fallen in the roadway and that money was actually paid out of
the motor fuel tax fund.
Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated that the board
of trustees had until the August meeting to look the appropriation over and get
back to her if there are any changes that need to be made. Treasurer, Penelope
Payton stated the final appropriation will be presented at the August board
meeting and voted on at the September board meeting. Treasurer, Penelope Payton
stated that the appropriation has to be filed with the County Clerk by the end
of the first quarter of your fiscal year; which is the end of
September.
Trustee Rhoads stated at the next board meeting we can vote on
increasing the hours in the police department. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated
that if you take the $15,600 that was appropriated for salaries in the police
department and divide that by what Chief White makes that is fifteen hours a
week. President Whalen stated if two officers were hired at $15 per hour than
there should still be some money left. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated
actually you would need to add more money to that line item. Clerk Adams stated
just remember while on officer would be getting paid $15 per hour the Village
has to pay for their benefits. Treasurer, Penelope Payton stated Medicare,
social security, workman’s compensation and unemployment. Trustee Salsbury
stated you should probably tack another $2.50 on for that; so essentially the
Village would be paying $17.50 an hour for these officers.
Trustee
Salsbury stated remember Attorney Temple is going to donate $6,000 of his income
to kick-start the police department. Clerk Adams stated that she didn’t think
that was firm yet. President Whalen stated I am sorry, what. Clerk Adams stated
that she thought that was still in the discussion phase; that is what Attorney
Temple stated at last month’s meeting. President Whalen stated right, they are
doing a lot of talking, not just about the revenue. President Whalen stated that
Chief White and Attorney Temple are talking to Forreston about the logistics of
writing ordinance citations instead of State citations. President Whalen stated
that Attorney Temple told her that he was okay with the donation to the police
department. President Whalen stated that she planned to wait until August 1,
2011 before implementing this donation process to kick-start the police
department. President Whalen stated that Building & Zoning Administrator,
Casper Manheim had also agree to donate $75 a month for six months to kick-start
the police department.
President Whalen stated that Chief White sold the
three out of the six glock handguns that the police department had for $425 each
for a total $1,275. Clerk Adams stated the Village originally paid $475 each for
the guns when the police department was initially started.
President
Whalen asked the board of trustees if they were comfortable with the numbers. It
was the consensus of the board of trustees that the budget for fiscal year 2012
was acceptable.
There being no further business to transact a motion to
adjourn was made by Trustee Stewart; Trustee Rhoads seconded the motion. Vote as
follows: Sparacino – yes, Salsbury – yes, Rhoads – yes and Stewart - yes. The
motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:58 pm. The next regular
monthly meeting will be held July 13, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hillcrest Village
Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Teresa J. Adams,
Village Clerk
Posted: 8/22/2011 |
Updated: 8/22/2011