Commuter Parking at Mokena's Metra Lots Could Rise by 25 Cents

Editor's Note: Correction - The proposed village budget assumes there will be no changes in the state's local government disbursement fund. Any changes could greatly impact the village's budget.

The proposed 2012 village budget does not feature drastic fee increases on Mokena residents, though garbage fees and Metra parking lot fees could rise a bit.

Village Administrator John Downs gave an early overview of the 2012 fiscal year spending plan Monday night in a work session following the village board meeting.

Here are some highlights of the proposed budget:

• The Village will potentially raise the Metra parking lot fees by 25 cents. The increase will fund new pay boxes at both train stations in Mokena, as well as installation of four new shelters and additional security cameras at the Hickory Creek station.
• There will be a small increase in garbage fees: 40 cents per month for single-family homes, 35 cents for town homes, and 28 cents for apartment dwellers. This will help off set the cost of senior discounts and the village's free removal of sticks and lawn debris.
• The Village will use $570,000 from the Water Capital fund to help offset the cost of new emergency vehicles. By using this money, the general fund will not be depleted. The water system will continue on as normal.
• The Village will continue to resurface roads and improve general infrastructure. However, instead of getting the money from the motor fuel tax the village will rely on a half-percentage point sales tax currently in place in Mokena. The money for infrastructure maintenance will also come from this fund. This includes improvements already being made to U.S. 30. There will be sidewalks, street lighting, a traffic signal at Ridgemore and a bike path near Wolf Road.
• A budget anomaly for fiscal year 2012 is that the village will see 27 pay periods, instead of 26. This occurs every 12 years because of the 365-day fiscal period and factoring in leap days. Not factoring this in, the Village will see a 7.5 percent increase in revenue, and a 1.1 percent increase in expenses.
• The Village expects to begin FY 2012 with a balance of just under $26 million.
• The budget assumes no changes in the state's local government disbursement fund.
• Mokena Police are beginning a medication drop off service, similar to that in New Lenox. Residents may dispose of unused or unwanted medications in the lobby. The police will then properly dispose of it. 

"I wish all residents were here to see this budget. I've preached fiscal responsibility and I applaud our staff stepping up in these tough times. They continue to provide the services the residents expect from the Village without needing more to maintain those services," Mayor Joeseph Werner said.

"We go through each fund to be able to justify it to the residents," he continued, "we want to be able to tie the discussion directly to the subject."

The Village Board expects to present the full budget to the public on June 13 and vote on it that evening.

In Other Village Board News ...

• During the meeting, the board approved a letter that would be sent to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The letter states that the village board understands IDOT will be responsible for building a 2,100-foot-long sound wall near the Country View subdivision as IDOT expands Interstate 80 between U.S. 30 and U.S. 45. Residents have been asking for such a wall for a long time.
• The board authorized a measure to give the mayor and clerk the ability to give Central Illinois Trucking a half-percentage point sales tax incentive once the firm moves to Mokena. Downs estimates the company will bring about $400,000 in new sales tax revenue over 10 years.
• Various trustees noted that there is a procession on Monday from St Mary's Cemetery to Pioneer Cemetery to St John's Cemetery, along with a reading of names of veterans interred there.
• The Village Hall will be closed next Monday for Memorial Day.