Budgets & Financial Reports

Village Board members and staff participate in a variety of professional organizations and intergovernmental cooperatives. At times, these groups have taken positions on specific legislative issues that have a direct affect on their membership or the stated goals of the organization. 

Professional Organizations 

• Illinois Municipal League  (IML)
• Northwest Municipal Conference (MWMC),
• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)
• U.S. Conference of Mayors
• Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus
• International City Management Association (ICMA)
• Illinois City Management Association (ILCMA)
• Illinois Association of Municipal Management Assistants (IAMMA)
• Illinois Municipal Law Association (IMLA)
• Government Finance Officers’ Association (GFOA)
• Illinois Government Finance Officers’ Association (IGFOA)
• Illinois Municipal Treasurers’ Association (IMTA)
• Illinois Municipal Clerks’ Association (IMCA)
• Illinois Association of Chief’s of Police (IACP)
• American Planning Association (APA)
• Northwest Building Officials Council
• Illinois Environmental Health Association
• Illinois Public Health Association
• American Public Works Association (APWA)
• Illinois Public Works Association (IPWA)
• International Society of Arborists
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)
• Illinois Water Works Association
• Illinois Geographic Information System Association (ILGISA)

Intergovernmental Cooperatives 

• Northwest Water Commission (NWWC)
• Northwest Central Dispatch (NWCD)
• Northern Illinois Public Safety Training Association (NIPSTA)
• Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS)
• High Level Excess Liability Pool (HELP)

On August 21, 2023, the Village Board approved a recommendation to hire a lobbyist to represent the Village as it relates to the redevelopment of the former Arlington International Racecourse Property. The approval was based on garnered legislative interest at the State level with proposed legislation that in some cases, had been drafted with little or no input whatsoever from the Village. A redevelopment effort of this size and complexity requires working closely with legislators and officials throughout the State to ensure the Village’s interests are protected. For these reasons, a lobbying firm was selected to work with the Village on this project, in order to help monitor proposed legislation that could impact the redevelopment and also help provide meaningful input to legislators and other state and regional officials about the needs and perspectives of our residents, businesses, and community partners. 

See Agenda Item and Related Documents

The Village’s budget and financial process begins in March of each year, when each Department Director presents an outline of their Department’s services, workload indicators, key accomplishments, and new initiatives to the Village Board.

In April, the Board reviews its Strategic Priorities, which Staff will use to develop its budget proposals for the following year.

In June of each year, the Board reviews and approves a five-year Capital Improvement Program.

In July, multi-year projections are provided to the Board for the General and Water & Sewer Funds, which are the Village’s largest operating funds. These projections include an estimated property tax levy amount. Based on these projections, the Board sets budget ceilings which each department uses as an upper limit when developing its proposed spending plans. As the proposed budget is developed the estimated property tax levy may be increased or decreased depending on budget proposals for the Village Board’s review.   

Throughout September and October the budget team, consisting of the Village Manager, Assistant Village Manager, Finance Director, Assistant Finance Director, and Budget Coordinator, meet with representatives of each department to review their operating and capital spending proposals, and to review how these proposals meet the Village Board’s strategic priorities. As a result of these meetings and based on available resources, a proposed budget is prepared for review by the Village Board.

During November, the Village holds public budget meetings at the Committee-of-the-Whole level. The Village Board subsequently holds a Public Hearing prior to adopting the annual budget in December of each year. A detailed calendar of the budget process immediately follows this transmittal letter. 

Under the Budget Officer Act and the Village’s purchasing guidelines, the budget may be amended by the Village Manager in the form of transfers between line items up to $20,000. Budget transfers above this amount require the approval of the Village Board. This allows the Village the flexibility it needs to operate efficiently due to the scope of its operations. This also serves to increase the accountability of Department Directors by encouraging them to budget realistically and to keep a close watch on each expenditure line item during the year.