Elgins seeks members for budget task force

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Updated: September 29, 2011 12:55AM

ELGIN — Applications are available for residents to serve on a task force to help the city council address financial issues facing the city.

With Elgin facing a potential $4.5 million shortfall in 2012, council members decided at their June 3 retreat to appoint a budget and financial planning task force to study ways to address the situation.

According to a press release from the city, “this committee is to consist of technical experts in government finance as well as additional community members who have an interest in serving their community. This task force will assist the city manager and city council in evaluating the community’s receptiveness to service level adjustments and/or revenue enhancements.”

The group’s charge will be “to establish long-term, balanced and stable revenue sources for the city that accomplish public priorities while allowing flexibility to meet the varied and dynamic needs of the community for the next 10 to 20 years. Furthermore, the task force shall examine the city’s current service levels and the expenditures associated with them in determining the revenue needs of the city.”

At the retreat, Elgin Chief Financial Officer Colleen Lavery said that there could be shortfalls in the city’s general fund of more than $4.5 million each year from 2012 to 2015. The deficits assume operating the city at its current expenditure level.

Lavery explained that what builds the deficits are the post-boom decrease in property values, meaning fewer tax dollars; a hole left from stock market investments that still have not recovered from the recession; rising health insurance premiums; obligations to the city’s pension fund; and step pay raises provided in contracts with employees and unions.

Mayor Dave Kaptain noted at the retreat that the city’s former CFO, James Nowicki, has volunteered to be part of the task force.

Applications are available at city hall; on the city of Elgin website, www.cityofelgin.org; or by calling Nancy Roder, assistant to the city manager, at 847-931-5590. The application deadline is July 12. The group would present the city with recommendations prior to the start of budget discussions in the fall.