City Approves Budget Amidst Split Vote
The La Grange City Council voted 5-2 Monday night to pass the second and final reading of an ordinance setting next year’s budget and the first reading of an ordinance setting the tax rate.
The budget came in at $19,012,669, up from $17,925,190 in the current year. The tax rate will go from $0.18194 to $0.19075 per $100 valuation. Councilmen Dylan Schlotterbeck and Ken Taylor both cast the ‘no’ votes at Monday night’s meeting. At the previous meeting both of them, along with Councilwoman Pam Giese, had advocated for reduced spending Geise was absent from the meeting this Monday night. Before the votes, the Council held a public hearing over the proposed tax rate. One citizen addressed the Council during the public hearing. Lisa Schlemmer thanked the Council members who advocated for reduced spending in the new budget.
“I appreciate the Council members who spoke on Sept. 8 and made suggestions versus just sitting there,” Schlemmer said.
She urged the Council to consider holding public hearings on the budget and tax rate before the day they vote on them.
“Have the proposed budget hearing sooner so the public input can be heard and possible changes made,” she said. “It seems like this timeline made it impossible to vote and accept any changes.
“I thank (Ken) Taylor and (Pam) Giese for their input and suggestions to help lower spending,” Schlemmer added. “I was also pleased that (Bonnie) Busch suggested cutting some spending and coming in at a lower tax rate than proposed. That’s called compromise. The city and the county are raising taxes. The school continually tries to pass bonds. Not everyone can afford these increases in a short time frame. Some will be forced to sell their homes and possibly go without food just to pay bills. Let’s all work together for the benefit of our community without overspending.”
After the hearing, Councilman Taylor raised several questions about the proposed budget. He said the City hired a budget consultant as part of this year’s budget process.
“I’d like to know what that costs us so that we can understand the full cost of what we get, which I’m not saying is bad,” he said.
He also questioned the cost of another consultant the City plans to hire to update the City’s code of ordinances and unified development code.
“I would like for someone, our consultant or whomever, to come explain what the product is for the unified development code and ordinance update that’s we’re evidently paying for,” he said.
Taylor said the City has a banking account for the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) with $1.9 million earning 5.4 percent interest.
“When I look at the EDC budget, there’s no interest,” he said. “Where is that interest money going if its not in the ECC budget?” Taylor asked.
In addition, Taylor said he couldn’t find reference in the budget to revenue from the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone that the City established earlier this year.
“Where is that money?” he asked.
Mayor Jan Dockery asked Taylor to submit his questions in an email to City Hall and staff would answer them.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, La Grange Recreation Director Curtis Bradbury reported that the Senior Connections programs at the Randolph Rec Center have been attracting about 3040 people. He said the Rec Center is planning a Family Game Night for Sept. 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The event will include board games another other activities for all ages. Mahjong classes will begin on Thursdays from 9 a.m.-noon; registration is required. Open court at the Randolph Gym takes place on Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Bradbury said the open court nights average about 25 people every Monday.