At last night’s Darien Village Board meeting, the board discussed the impending budget for 2022. Some budget highlights include:
The village is hoping to qualify for expenditure payment in 2023
Parks in the village will be updated in 2022, with Wildwood and Bruce name dropped.
There was a 2% cost of living adjustment
The village wants to maintain existing health coverage for staff
The village plans to use a portion of its remaining GO Funds in 2021 for Downtown Alley Reconstruction, west of Wisconsin Street
Property taxes were the biggest contributor to funds, with a $44,000 increase in general fund, and $88,000 in intergovernmental revenues due to expenditure restraint payment loss
41% of the General Fund is public safety, making them easily the largest contributors
Overall there was a 1.79% increase in general fund expenditures over 2021
There is a $41,000 increase in public safety because of police, EMS contracts
There is a 4.69% reduction in general fund debt service
The Fire/EMS Fund increases $62,000 based on increase in Metro Paramedic contract which is split amongst the 6 municipalities covered by the Shared Ambulance service. Wage increase as previously reported. $20/hour for paramedics and $1/hour for EMTs.
The Library requests an increase to $76,000 in general funds from $75,000
The Senior center saw a slight increase for 2021 based on rentals
In 2021, the village borrowed almost $1.9 million for road improvements, $130,000 of which are left over for other street improvement projects
There are $5000 in the budget for any IT replacements
There are $5000 for sidewalk renovations
The Water Utility Fund had a recommended rate increase of 3% by village financial advisor. There is no revenue increase included
The village is still working on workers comp and liability rates; mill rate should come in early November
Budget will be distributed November 8 and reviewed on November 15. At the same meeting they might take action and set the tax levy.
The board also announced that trick or treating in Darien would be from 4 to 6 PM on October 31, and also approved a motion to apply for the T-Mobile Hometown Grant, which gives smaller communities grants for revitalization projects. Bruce Park was singled out as a potential candidate.