Pingree board barely OKs new hire

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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:29AM

PINGREE GROVE — Budget concerns still linger as trustees split on a vote this week to give Village Administrator Ken Lopez authority to hire a full-time assistant finance director.

Trustee Ray LaMarca argued in favor of postponing the hire, saying he is concerned about the budget and isn’t sure if a full-time person is needed.

“It’s about putting another person on the books that we have to approve to pay their salary,” said LaMarca.

Trustee Steve Wiedmeyer said he feels Lopez is qualified to make the call himself and that the board should follow his recommendation.

“You guys are trying to micromanage Ken,” said Wiedmeyer. “And if that’s the way we’re going to treat him, quite honestly I don’t expect him to stay much longer if that’s the way we’re going to treat him.”

Wiedmeyer made a motion to allow Lopez to fill the position as he sees fit. LaMarca and Trustees Bob Spieker and Brian Paszkiewicz voted no. Trustees Wiedmeyer, Bernie Thomas and Josh Cossiboon voted in favor, as did village President Greg Marston in breaking the 3-3 tie.

Lopez needed the board’s approval to hire his top pick, whom he chose after several weeks of advertising the position and interviewing candidates. He did not name the individual but said she is a well-qualified certified public accountant with ample experience.

The new hire will assist Lopez, who serves as finance director, with finance and accounting responsibilities, as well as office and clerical duties.

Lopez said this year’s budget already includes the $46,000 in salary and optional benefits for the position. It was left vacant in November when the former assistant finance director resigned for personal reasons. The village has since hired a professional accounting firm to assist with those duties.

In other business:

Trustees will soon begin examining every aspect of the village’s expenses in order to propose a budget for the coming year.

Lopez said he is looking at budgets with department heads and will schedule meetings with trustees over the next two months to review each line item. He hopes to have a first draft of the proposed budget by March 26.

Marston said there will be cause for celebration.

“This is the going to be the first balanced general fund budget proposed post-Cambridge,” said Marston.

Cambridge Homes started development in the village in 2004, taking its population from hundreds to now more than 4,000 residents.

“So the three years of ‘the sky is falling and then we need to pay people with Monopoly money’ are over,” said Marston.

Lopez announced that the village will conduct an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Cambridge Lakes Community Center, 1125 Wester Blvd., on the March 20 referendum asking voters if they want the village to seek competitive pricing bids for electricity services.

If approved, it would allow the village to enter into a single contract that would include residents and small businesses if it will mean lower electric bills.