Township Supervisor Patricia Vance presented a proposed fiscal year 2012-13 budget of $1.6 million for the Township of Evanston to members of the Human Services Committee on May 7. The proposed budget contains no salary increases, and it decreases the tax levy by $100,000 from this year’s levy. There are two funds in the Township budget: the proposed operating expenses for the General Assistance fund is $1.2 million; operating expenses proposed for the Town of Evanston fund are $366,000.
Both of these amounts are very close to the anticipated fund balance in each fund at year’s end, June 30. The anticipated year-end fund balance in the General Assistance Fund is about $1.5 million; for the Town fund it is $327,000.
Ms. Vance said she based the General Fund budget in anticipation of about 100 General Assistance clients per month. The Township also offers emergency assistance to families for utilities or housing assistance.
Community services in the budget are proposed to be allocated as follows: $650 for veterans’ services “related to the purchase of flags for the graves of veterans”; $30,000 to support the Summer Youth Employment Program; $10,000 to purchase supplies for the Back-To-School event held in late summer; and $5,000 for the West End Market.
Under an agreement with the City of Evanston and the City’s Mental Health Board, the Township allocates $86,000 toward community purchased services (social and mental health services for those who cannot otherwise afford them) in the proposed budget.
City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said the City and the Township are still working on ways to consolidate some of their spending, to achieve economies of scale. Noting that the proposed budget has a line item of $5,000 for legal fees, he said he would has City attorney Grant Farrar to revisit the question of whether there is a conflict with having the City attorney also be the Township attorney.
The Township budget must be approved by July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year.