Edgar budget keeps next year’s spending flat
Village of Edgar administrator Jennifer Lopez proposed a steady-state 2021 budget to trustees on Monday.
The spending plan, while far from complete, proposes $1,016,655 in spending next year, which is three-tenths of a percent less than the current year.
Lopez said the village had a net new construction percentage of 1.45 and, under levy limits, is able to raise property taxes by a maximum of $3,876. She said state shared revenue was stable, while transportation aid dipped $2,977 from 2019.
Lopez said next year’s major project is completing Thomas Hill Rd. in conjunction with a wastewater treatment plant upgrade. The work includes reconstruction of the road between First Ave. and Wisconsin Street plus water and sewer main replacements, as well as installation of a lift station. The project could be paid for with $220,247 earmarked for the 2020 streets budget. The administrator identified two additional street projects, both which are labeled as funded by Tax Incremental Finance revenues. They are resurfacing Weinkauf and Spruce Rds. in the Woodland Hills subdivision and reconstructing 700 feet of Birch Street in front of Edgar High School. This project would involve 526 feet of sanitary sewer and standard curb replacement on the school side of the street. Lopez told trustees that it is expected the Village of Edgar will close out its Tax Incremental Districts 1 and 3 with a $1,245,600 surplus at the end of their lives in 2034. She said TID No. 4 will end its life with a projected $736,529 surplus.
The administrator said other priority purchases next year could be new village hall office flooring, a new copier lease, voting equipment, park improvements and putting money towards a new police squad car.
She said that she has pencilled in a four percent wage increase for village employees. That sum is $15,293.
Board members, she said, will need to decide whether to increase part-time police hours or, possibly, to hire a second full-time officer.
Lopez said the village has $30,126 in its savings account for equipment. Possible purchases, she said, include a Skidsteer trailer, a zero turn mower, a snow pusher and a cab for the village’s Ventrac.
She said board members needed to decide whether to apply for a DNR park grant to install a recirculating pump to deal with Oak Street park stormwater.
In other village board business:
_ Board members approved annexing a town of Wien parcel formerly owned by Wells Fargo Bank into the village.
_ Trustees voted to close Weinkauf Street and East Limits Rd. south of Chesak for the WIAA sub sectional cross country meet on Monday, Oct. 19. During the closure, access to the village brush and waste fill area will not be open to the public.
_ Board members agreed to sell the village’s 2007 Chrysler Town and County van.
_ Administrator Lopez said the village’s health insurance plan will increase 2.7 percent or $2,678 this coming year.
_ It was announced nobody submitted a letter asking to fill the seat vacated by trustee Ryan Hall, who resigned.
