Libertyville Amends Budget Up By $1.65 Million

Libertyville trustees approved an amended 2010-2011 budget that increases expenditures by $1.65 million during Tuesday’s board meeting.

The increase will cover unanticipated expenses, such as February’s blizzard, according to village documents.

The amended budget increases expenditures to $43.6 million for the fiscal 2011 from $41.9 million. Village officials say additional revenues above budget or prior year fund balances will be used to cover the amended budget amounts.

The village’s actual expenditures are below the revised budget and total revenue for fiscal 2011 exceeds actual expenditures, according to village documents.

A majority of the budget amendments will go to cover the following items:

• Unbudgeted items purchased and reimbursed with grant proceeds – $21,455
• Staffing shortages in fire, police and dispatch – $69,400
• Sick leave buy-back expenses for retired employees – $73,200
• Independent contractor costs for recreation programs due to increased enrollment and offset by increased revenue – $100,000
• An additional transfer from the General Fund to Libertyville Sports Complex – $106,000
• Additional litigation costs – $121,000
• Blizzard-related costs, which will be partly reimbursed by Federal Emergency Management Agency – $114,225
• Additional sewer costs due to the Lake County Public Works increase and offset by sewer fee revenue from the county – $224,000
• The refunding of a bond issue – $657,075

The blizzard-related costs represents the village’s costs above and beyond a normal snowstorm. FEMA is expected to reimburse some $75,000, more than 50 percent, to the village of Libertyville, according to Public Works Director John Heinz.