West Cook News

During the Nov. 14 meeting of Elmhurst Village Council’s Committee of the While, members discussed several pieces of the village’s budget for 2023, with Public Works and Finance directors outlining spending plans for the coming year.

While Public Works Director Stanley Balicki and Finance Director Christina Coyle discussed their department budgets, City manager James Grabowski pointed out during the meeting, which was streamed on YouTube, that council wasn’t obligated to approve the budget during the meeting.

“Christina and I talked and we are going to publish for the public hearing for the budget to be Dec. 5," Grabowski said. "We hold the public hearing doesn't mean that the council is obligated to approve the budget that night, but we need to establish that and we have certain timelines to meet."

During the meeting, Balicki offered his department’s portion of the budget, focusing on administration, street maintenance, snow removal, forestry, electrical, rubbish disposal, municipal buildings, central maintenance equipment, and public benefits. During the presentation, he also outlined how the funds in each category are spent.

Grabowski also detailed several segments of the budget, including administrative salaries and costs and clerical supplies. During the session, he also expressed some worries about the impact of inflation on public information programming of 20%, which he noted remains the best way to communicate with the public. He also noted the budget includes the cost of publishing a guide to city services presented to new residents.

Coyle highlighted the Finance Department budget while outlining some of the successes of the department this year, including the purchase of a new software system for the city.

During the meeting, Coyle noted that the city plans to use the payroll and billing systems along with the new system. She also noted that in the proposed 2023 budget, her department shifted some of its consulting costs to a new position and reduced fees connected with city credit cards.