By Jason Arndt
Village Board members cleared the air at their Dec. 9 board meeting about public comments recently made regarding the 2014 budget and addressed concerns related to one Village trustee voting Nov. 25 in opposition to the budget proposal.
“It would be nice for some clarity from everybody on the board to hear what they are proposing on how to reduce the budget,” Village President Mike Aimone said Monday night.
Aimone’s remark concerned trustee Adam Graf, who voted “no” to the budget proposal last month.
“There was a lot of frustration, because no one heard you say ‘I am not going to vote for this budget because there is an increase of however-many-dollars-it-was. And this is what I propose,’ ” Village trustee Michael Younglove told Graf.
Adoption of the 2014 Budget last month indicated a mil rate increase of 35 cents per $1,000 property value, but some figures outside Union Grove were still trickling in that day, according to Aimone.
“The mil rate is established between the county, the state, the school system, special education and the Village of Union Grove,” Aimone explained.
“So once our mil rate came in, it did not take into consideration the state lottery tax credit.”
Aimone indicated other jurisdictions and authorities were still working on budget figures and calculations at the time of the Nov. 25 budget adoption.
“As far as from the Village perspective, the number was correct,” Aimone said. “We do not know what the other taxing entities are going to do at that time.”
Village trustee and member of the Administration/Finance Committee Gordon Svendsen echoed sentiments made by Younglove regarding the lone opponent of the budget.
“The part that upset me is you did not call me or e-mail me or say ‘hello, can I take a look at that again?’ ” Svendsen told Graf, adding: “There are certain things we cannot touch, such as the Sheriff’s contract, the library budget.”
Trustee Teresa Holm noted the Board is obligated to provide public services to the community. “We have to provide these services in order for our community to be safe,” Holm added.
Graf also serves on the Finance Committee with Svendsen, but there have been grumblings that he did not offer suggestions on how to reduce the budget during preliminary reviews.
“It goes back to everyone has the right to vote no, but to say you’re not going to raise taxes and reduce the budget while there were no ways to reduce the budget, it was kind of frustrating to those who put a lot of time and effort into getting the budgets were they are at,” Aimone commented.
Younglove said he was caught off guard by Graf’s public opposition to the budget. “I might not agree with you and you have the right to say that and have the right to talk about it, but I didn’t hear that,” Younglove told Graf.
“So I walked out of here going ‘I am not sure what is going on.’ If you have an idea, you need to say that.”
Graf explained he is still learning the process of serving as a Village trustee with Union Grove.
“Yeah, I am kind of going through a learning curve, so next year when the budget comes I definitely will come forward with ideas,” Graf said.
Aimone commented that the budget could be worse, given prior constraints and cuts spanning a decade.
“Six years ago we eliminated our Village Administrator position to save $100,000 and, as a result, our board has had to shoulder more responsibility,” Aimone said.
Aimone and all Village trustees agreed to make more proactive efforts in passing annual budgets in the future.
“I think for future budgets we hold a public hearing but not take any action that evening,” Aimone suggested. “It will allow people two weeks to get a chance to take a look at it.”
The adoption of the 2014 Budget was approved following a brief public hearing Nov. 25.
“It will give us time to contemplate about what our thoughts and comments are and I think that is a good idea,” agreed Younglove.
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