South Cook News

The Palos Park Village Board heard a presentation on the 2023-24 village budget during its April 24 meeting, in which several items were addressed, but the village still expects to operate with a surplus.

During the public hearing, finance director Allen Altic gave an overview of the budget and the process of creating it. The total budget amounted to $50,640,000, which includes the Palos Park Library budget of $656,000 and the police pension fund of $344,600.

"Thank you for this opportunity to present the 2024 budget tonight, (and thanks to) our support staff for all their hard work and long hours that went into the budget," Altic said, adding that in the general operating fund, the village will be operating in the black with an expected surplus.

Altic said the budget included “by far the largest capital project in the last 20 years, and includes the largest roadway paving and maintenance program in the last 20 years, totaling 1.9 million.” On top of that, the village plans to finish some of the items set for the year season that weren’t finished, he added.

Commissioner Darryl Reed presented the item to the council for their approval after the public hearing. There was no public comment on the budget, so it moved on to the agenda portion of the meeting. Reed made the formal announcement for adopting the budget under the financial laws the village operates under. 

“The budget is a comprehensive financial plan which projects both anticipated revenues and proposed expenditures for all of the municipal departments for the upcoming fiscal year, which will begin on May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024," Reed said.

The board approved the budget, and members of the council said they felt confident in the budget documents and plans, and also in the planning of their finance department. Mayor John Mahoney praised the village staff, adding that he wanted "to again recognize our finance director, Allen Altic. He has really streamlined this process for all the staff and really anticipates questions, and concerns, and can answer any question I have. This is an area of some expertise for me, having done this for sixteen years and having financial training. And he is really up to the task in terms of knowing what we're looking for, and being able to answer any question under severe cross-examination. And he does an excellent job.”