Spending bill in place for fiscal year

By Chris Johnson

Reporter

PECATONICA – Much of the required annual “housekeeping” has been completed in Pecatonica. Following a public hearing on the fiscal year spending plan and after assuring all steps have been followed, the Village of Pecatonica can now look at funding the hundreds of projects, big-and-small that await them.

During the Committee of the Whole Meeting, on Thursday, May 5, committee members began listening to the progress that has been made in assuring the Village is financially ready to take on the expense of operation.

The funds, though lower than in previous years, can be freed up for use based on each department head’s pre-appropriations budgets.

After the Public Safety and Administration plans were approved, along with the Public Works and Finance Department’s request for funding filed, an agreement was reached by Committee Members, acting in full Municipal Trustee capacity, to approve the usage of the funds.

The financial statement, the amount of available revenue was presented, as the final paperwork was handled.

The General Corporate Fund produces revenues of $811, 232.26, offset by an expense account to be listed at $906,136, showing a net revenue-shortage of $94,903.74.

The Water, Sewer and Refuse Fund distributes available funds, in the amount of $1,252,906 with an estimated expense for operation of $1,376,789.

The revenue shortage from the Water, Sewer and Refuse Fund is $123,883.

The Motor Fuel Tax Fund produces revenue of $59,800.

With an expense relying on appropriated dollars from the MFT Fund listed at $200,000, a revenue shortfall of $140,200 reveals itself.

Various other departments are also showing losses in revenue compared to previous fiscal cycles.

The Police Protection Fund shows a drop of $23,257. The Police Drug Fund has $1,798 less.

The Street and Bridge Fund, listed, producing revenue of $8,512, sees an expense expectation of $100,000, for a deficit of $91,488.

The Social Security Fund and Illinois Municipal Retirement Funds show small revenue-shortages, with a total amount, between the two, expected to be just over $1,000.

The final line, comparing revenues to expenses, produces a finding for the Village of Pecatonica, with revenue reported at $2,205,411.76 with an expense account of $2,681,949, for a difference of $476,537.24.

Administrators begin their first steps into the new fiscal year with the numbers already laid out.

With passage of the appropriations ordinance the revenue on hand can now be released according to the rules of operation.

The Board’s final responsibility concludes with successful submission to the Winnebago County Clerk for document storage.

With passage the ordinance moves into full effect with the approval and publication in pamphlet form as provided by law.