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Operations Committee Minutes

VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 5, 2020

CALL TO ORDER
Trustee Mark Guethle called the meeting to order.

ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Dale Berman, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mark Carroll, Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Bill Hannah

AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Approval of the Operations Committee Minutes dated March 2, 2020
Motion for approval made by Trustee Carroll and seconded by Trustee Curtis. All in favor. Motion approved.

NEW BUSINESS
1. Preliminary Tax Levy Estimate
Finance Director Bill Hannah presented on the preliminary tax estimated that will be on the agenda for approval at the Village’s first board meeting in November. Hannah gave an overview of last year’s property tax levy, which saw extensions of $2,507,897. Extensions are based upon CPI and new construction and those numbers are dictated by State statute and subject to PTELL and cannot have more than a 5% increase in any year.

For the 2020 levy funds that will be in the 2021-22 budget, Finance Director Hannah said the estimated total is 3.09%, and that increase is due both due to inflation and an increase in new construction. He said 2020 was the seventh or eighth year in a row that the Village has seen an increase in the EAV, which is very good. The new construction, estimated to be about $19,889 in tax extensions, is an average year. He also said the police pension annual valuation was a part of the audit and there were no changes; however the investment return as 6.24% compared to the 6.5% assumption and the pensions are at 59% funding, the same as last year, which is very healthy funding.

The largest change going into this year’s tax levy estimate is the fact last year the Village made its last payment for library debt services and as such the Village does not need to levy any debt service on behalf of the library. Due to this, Finance Director Hannah said even if the Village were to enact a general levy of extensions of the about 2.85 million available, the levy would still see a decrease of 12.8% from the total 2019 property tax rate. Finance Director Hannah said he would recommend a levy of $2.6 million to capture the new CPI and construction.

Trustee Curtis said given the current COVID-19 situation she did not want to see an increase in property tax bills for residents. Finance Director Hannah said that due to the library bond debt payment no longer being in the levy that even though the overall rate will be increased that residents should see a decrease of about 13% from the Village’s two line items on their next property tax bill.

The formal approval of the property tax levy estimate will be on the November 2, 2020 Village Board agenda.

2. Vacation Leave Time Accrual Balances
Finance Director Hannah explained that part of the audit from earlier this year calculates the value of vacation, compensatory time and holiday leave and that number is recorded as a liability to the Village as those amounts are required to be paid out. As of May 31, 2020, the Village had the liability to potentially payout $340,856 in vacation leave, $88,168 in compensatory time, and $77,739 of holiday leave totaling just over half a million dollars. The majority of these hours are for Police Department employees.

Finance Director Hannah gave an overview of the Village’s vacation accrual program and said there are several Police employees who are currently over their allotted amount. Village Administrator Bosco explained that Police staffing levels require a minimum of three officers on shift and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantine, and injury leave have prevented Police employees from taking vacation time as required. The Village has a buy-back program up to 60 hours that allows for employees to cash out vacation time for overtime pay; however, it is for non-union employees only and Police employees are not eligible.

Finance Director Hannah suggested a resolution allowing for the buy-back program to be extended to 80 hours from 60 hours and also allow for union employees to participate for one year.

Mayor Dale Berman said that vacations are meant to relieve pressure on the individual and let them get away from work, but said this has been a tough year and coordinating vacations would have been difficult. He said he felt this was a good solution to the problem and will help everyone involved. Trustee Laura Curtis brought up concerns about why Village employees had so much accrued time, and Administrator Bosco explained in further detail about the Police Department staffing level requirements.

Trustee Mark Carroll said it was important to be sensitive to the perception of paying employees for their vacation time during this current pandemic climate, even if employees had earned that vacation time. He supported the Police department union employees being able to participate in the vacation buy-back program.

The resolution for approval will be on the November 2, 2020 Village Board agenda.

OLD BUSINESS – None
OTHER INFORMATION – None
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None

ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Curtis and seconded by Trustee Carroll. All in favor. Motion approved.

Respectfully Submitted,

Natalie F. Stevens
Deputy Village Clerk

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