Village Deficit Crisis: Brief, Important Update
By Emily Votruba
According to Reggie and Laura Manville, the state expects to see a plan that might realistically eliminate our $558K+ deficit within the next 5 years.* If the Village does not come up with an acceptable plan by October 17, it's very likely, again according to Reggie Manville, that the state will bring in an emergency manager. The state could act on that decision, Reggie said, as soon as December.
When Bill Soper and I asked Laura if the Village's beach property is potentially saleable, she said, "That was the first thing [the State Treasury rep] asked about, was how much beach property the Village has." Laura said she would look into how much Village beach property is potentially in play if an emergency manager is appointed to take over the Village. It does not seem to be the intention of anyone on Council to sell our beach property.
Some possible cost-cutting and revenue-raising ideas discussed at tonight's (October 10) meeting:• cutting employee time across the board (office and DPW down to two or three days a week) • reducing or eliminating employee benefits • cutting just the office down to 32 hours total per week (16 hours per employee), with the office open four days a week; keeping DPW the same (Ken and Corey) and eliminating benefits for office • contracting out Life Saving Station rentals to a management company instead of having office staff handle it as they do now • charge fees and/or have donation boxes for use of boat launch, beach, trails, etc. • sell off one or more of the following assets: Community Building, Library, Ballfield, Marina/Farmers' Market Park, Anderson Park, Tots Park, Veterans Park • consolidate with Frankfort or Gilmore Township • hold a millage vote for fire department services and/or general tax revenue increase • cut services • raise fees for water, sewer, garbage, permits_______________________* This deficit amount does not include the tens of thousands of dollars we owe in legal fees—an amount that keeps growing.
