Sugar Grove trustees took a close look at the village’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 at their meeting on Tuesday.
The budget as presented amounts to $16,077,477 in expenditures and $17,313,177 in revenue for all funds.
As in years past, the village’s top expenditures include those for medical insurance, pension payments and salaries.
A first draft of the budget showed the village was initially looking at a general fund deficit of $195,000.
However, the general fund budget presented to trustees was balanced, which Village President Sean Michels said is good.
Finance Director Matt Anastasia took time to highlight how spending cuts helped the village attain a balanced budget proposal.
Among the cost-savings the village anticipates is realized by reducing the equipment replacement fund, eliminating a part-time administrative assistant in the village’s administration department and ending the sales tax rebate program for Graham’s C-Store. In addition, the budget works under the assumption that revenue generated by permits, licenses and fines will increase by the consumer price index, or the rate of inflation, of 2.3%.
The proposed budget also includes a 3% increase in water and sewer rates. That means residents paying $5.18 per 1,000 gallons and $5.21 per 1,000 gallons for water and sewer services could be charged at $5.34 per 1,000 gallons and $5.37 per 1,000 gallons for water and sewer services, if the new rates are passed at the same time as the budget.
The village board is anticipated to put the budget to a vote at its April 7 meeting.
Village clerk’s separation agreement OK’d
Also at the meeting, trustees approved a separation agreement between the village and Village Clerk Cynthia Galbreath.
The village board’s decision aims to help the village attain a balanced budget for fiscal year 2020-2021.
The village is issuing Galbreath a severance package that includes 12 weeks of compensation amounting to about $7,500, which Village Administrator Brent Eichelberger said is consistent with separation agreements authorized in the past.
The village will save $25,452.08 by eliminating the clerk’s stipend, according to village board documents.
In a statement to residents, Galbreath took time to say goodbye.
“I have always enjoyed my job, talking with residents, assisting (when able) and working with the Village Board and my fellow staff members,” she said. “So many memories, so many adventures and of course some challenges. I look forward to the adventures and challenges that retirement will bring.”
In a related development, the village board authorized the appointment of Alison Murphy as village clerk.
Murphy will receive added compensation based on the current hourly rate assessed for her work as a senior management analyst for the village.
Eichelberger said the duties of the village clerk will be distributed among several village employees moving forward.