The village of Forest Park is taking a conservative approach to its budget for the new fiscal year.
An appropriation ordination regarding the village’s $27.6 million budget for 2017 is scheduled to be voted on by the village board on July 25. Mayor Anthony Calderone, along with members of the village board of commissioners, met on June 29 to go over the budget prior to the official vote.
Village Administrator Tim Gillian said the budget hasn’t increased much compared to last year.
“It’s really a very bare-bones budget,” he said, which covers the necessities despite the state budget woes from Springfield, but he believes the village will be OK in the meantime.
Gillian said they also made sure to include space in the budget for settling pending contract negotiations with the village’s employee unions. There are six unions under the village, he said, with several of the contracts expiring in 2017.
The police officers’ union contract with the village expired last year. He said both sides have yet to meet at the negotiating table.
Gillian said members of the village board were pretty satisfied with the budget at the June 29 meeting.
“All of them understand we are working on a very, very tight budget,” he said, noting that applying for grants could be a way to bring in additional revenue to the village to help pay for big ticket items if necessary.
— DAVID POLLARD
