A financial forecast prompted some discussion Monday evening when commissioners attempted to understand the roughly $1.1 million deficit in Finance Director Judith Kovacs’ department report.
Commissioner Terry Steinbach raised the subject during the March 12 village council meeting, saying her reading of the numbers shows a general fund deficit of roughly $1.1 million by the end of the fiscal year, which is in two months. Village Administrator Mike Sturino agreed that the numbers are concerning, but said it’s not a case of overspending, rather the municipality is waiting on property tax revenue. A mix of state and county revenue is also due the village, Sturino said. Further, he said, the village really has no control over when those entities pay their bills.
“Accounts receivable isn’t an actual deficit,” Sturino said.
In pointing out the discrepancy, Steinbach again questioned the sense in spending $330,000 to buy a mixed-use property at 1000 Beloit. This action was approved by the council with a split vote earlier this year. Steinbach and Commissioner Patrick Doolin voted against the purchase.
Steinbach is running against Mayor Anthony Calderone in the upcoming general election.
Retiring Commissioner Tim Gillian pushed Steinbach to suggest how the village might align its expenses with its revenue. Department heads have been forced to do more with less, Gillian said, and at some point services will suffer if cuts continue.
“There’s only so much the village can tighten the belt,” Gillian said.
According to Kovacs, the village projected it would receive $3.2 million in revenue by the end of the fiscal year, but as of late February has collected only $2.1 million. Unfortunately, there is no pattern to the village’s revenue streams, Kovacs said, making projections difficult to make.
“That’s a problem,” Kovacs said. “I’m still hopeful that there’s more money to come in, but I have no evidence.”
Also at Monday’s council meeting, variances to the zoning code were granted on three projects. Properties at 106 Rockford Ave., 517 Ferdinand Ave. and 843 Elgin Ave. were all granted unanimous approval.
A fourth parcel, 1234 Circle Ave., failed to win approval allowing construction of a single-family home. The petitioner sought permission to build on a 24-foot wide lot, though the minimum lot width in the village is 25 feet.
