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Edgerton council pares down 2011 city budget, levy

EDGERTON — The Edgerton City Council has pared requests for increased funding for police and library staffing in a quest to shore up a gap in the city's 2011 budget.

The result: A tentative budget with a 3 percent levy increase—the goal for the Edgerton City Council when it began talks in October about a proposal showing a possible $190,000 budget gap.

With the city facing a debt service increase next year of $165,000 linked to street work and construction of a new City Hall, the council found a way to cut $189,000 in costs, City Administrator Ramona Flanigan said.

"It gets more difficult every year," Flanigan said. "They (the city council) think long and hard about wage increases. Unless they're absolutely essential, they don't get funded."

One cut: The council cropped a request from the Edgerton Public Library for $60,000 for increased staffing and computer upgrades.

The library had asked for $42,400 in wage increases for three employees because of increased demand; the council approved a total budget increase of $34,047 at the library, Flanigan said.

She noted the library could draw from a $400,000 endowment it has earmarked for upgrades.

The council cut an Edgerton Police Department request for $24,000 in wage increases for part-time officers.

The department said the increase would save on overtime costs for full-time officers. Flanigan said the council essentially is asking the department to balance overtime internally with no wage increases.

Flanigan said costs for resurfacing Garfield Street could be rolled into a future borrowing package for capital projects, which she said would lower the city's 2011 levy by $90,000.

In addition, the council cut:

-- A $23,000 request for a police squad car.

-- A $4,000 request for a shade umbrella at the Edgerton Aquatic Center.

-- $5,000 from a contract for city flower baskets.

EDGERTON CITY BUDGET

A public hearing for the city's 2011 budget is scheduled at a regular common council meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, at City Hall.

Total Budget

Next year $3.32 million

This year $3.33 million

Decrease 0.3%

Tax Levy

Next year $1.99 million

This year $1.93 million

Increase 2.9%

Tax Rate

The tax rate is unavailable, pending assessments for manufacturing properties.

Note: percent changes calculated on whole numbers