Libertyville approves financial tweaking of last year’s budget

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Updated: September 18, 2011 12:16AM

The Village Board has decided to update the final version of last year’s fiscal budget that closed April 30 and produce an updated version that will more accurately help trustees chart a realistic financial course for the current $44.5 million budget.

Staff administration indicated that in some cases departmental budgets encountered unanticipated revenues and expenses in the final quarter that perplexed trustees from earlier budget projections.

Mayor Terry Weppler cited several tweaks that should be made before the books can be closed and an accurate audit made.

“Generally, actual expenditures were below the revised budget, and total revenue exceeded actual expenditures,” Weppler said.

Some of the major budget adjustments suggested:

Refunding of a bond issue, $657,075.

Additional litigation costs, $121,000.

Blizzard-related costs (some to be partially reimbursed by FEMA eventually), $114,225.

Staffing shortages for police, fire and dispatch personnel, saved $69,400.

Unbudgeted items purchased and reimbursed with grant proceeds, $21,455.

Sick leave buy-back expenses for retired employees, $73,200.

Independent contractor costs for recreation programs due to increased enrolment and offset by increased revenue, $100,000.

Additional sewer costs due to Lake County Public Works increase, offset by sewer fee revenues from the county, $224,000.

Additional transfer of general funds to the Sports Complex, $106,000.

As a result of these changes, authorized budgeted expenditures increased $1,655,170, or from $41,916,475 to $43, 571,645 for the past fiscal year, according to Finance Director Patricia Wesolowski.

“Additional revenues above budget or prior year fund balances will be utilized to cover the amended budget amounts,” Wesolowski said,

Like many communities, Libertyville has been struggling through the recent recession. Since 2006, the village has received $2 million less in sales tax revenues and more than $300,000 less in state income tax distributive returns.

Weppler said since 2004 the village has been reducing its expenditures “in order to live within its means.”

“We have laid off eight employees over the past two years, reclassified four positions from full to part-time positions, required non-union personnel to take furlough days for a year and one-half now, deferred much-needed capital improvements, and froze non-union salaries and hiring,” Weppler pointed out.

“This year’s budget has a General Fund component that is $78,660 less than last year’s,” he said.

Weppler said officials would continue its ongoing efforts to restructure and to subsidize the debt payments from the General Fund on the $8 million Libertyville Sports Complex bonds, and continue marketing its commercial facilities in the complex.

Weppler said the new budget includes the addition of six firefighter/paramedics to replace six that have been provided by a private company.