Mid-Term Update
March 2019
Dear Neighbors,
Olympia
Fields has been and continues to be a Destination Community, in a world WHERE
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Olympia
Fields is rich in history and home to award winning architecture, highly
desirable and affordable unique homes, and a sprawling office park. It is the
safest and most beautiful community in the southern suburbs. In other words,
Olympia Fields is the place to be. The
newly completed $150 million expansion to Franciscan Health, the Olympia Fields
Country Club and its world class golfing events like the LPGA and the upcoming
2020 BMW Championship help to promote the Village of Olympia Fields (VOOF). Our
stellar reputation and the proximity to world class transportation all help to
ensure that Olympia Fields remains the destination it has always been.
A key to ensuring that our future remains a bright one is to grow
a commercial tax base that will provide a balanced approach to ensuring a
return on investment for the residents of Olympia Fields. We are in the process
of securing real economic development that augments/supports a village-like
atmosphere and positions us to take advantage of current and future trends in
technology and retail. Olympia Fields remains the right place to attract young
upwardly mobile families to share the vision, life style and values that will
enable Olympia Fields to remain a great place to live and raise a family but
also a great place to start and run a business in the New World Economy.
Our history and vision are clear. The following Guiding
Principles are the rules under which each Village employee in this
administration now operates. I am proud
to share with you the improvements, changes and plans that have been made in
the first two years of my administration.
1. Maintain
& protect the beauty and charm of Olympia Fields. This is our greatest
asset and number one objective.
This Administration has developed and implemented a
strategy to protect and promote our natural assets, our national image, and the
property values of those who have invested so heavily in our community.
• The Planning & Zoning Commission has rezoned most of the Village
to protect our community and your investment from those that do not share our
vision.
• The Village of Olympia Fields has been recognized by CNBC as one
of the ten best places to retire.
• The Pew Charitable Trusts named Olympia Fields as the #1 town in
America to have 98% minority ownership of homes.
• We have designed and are implementing a plan for a new walkable
destination venue that will attract more like-minded upwardly mobile people to
share our vision, world class hospital and amenities.
• We have upgraded gateways to our Village and eliminated unwanted
signage that is not in keeping with the charm of our Village.
• The Beautification Committee is exploring adding additional beauty
to our Village with hanging flower baskets and planters.
2. Improve the
efficiency of our village government.
I have made three major personnel
changes in Village Hall leadership to help facilitate a cultural change in our
village. Cynthia Saenz has been appointed the Village Administrator replacing
David Mekarski. She has seventeen years’ experience as the Village Finance
Director and Office Manager. Betty Zigras, with eleven years in governmental
finance, was appointed the Finance Director. Stan King, a resident of Wysteria,
retired Senior VP from Northern Trust and former bank and municipal auditor is
now the Village Treasurer.
The Village of Olympia Fields’
Fund Balance policy requires 5 months or 40% of expenses to be held in reserve.
The General Fund actual year end surplus for fiscal 2018 was up from budgeted
$45,621 to $505,503. The current fiscal
year 2019 budget proposes that the General Fund will have 7 months or 55% of
expenses in reserve. The projected 2019 budgeted surplus is $56,724, but
projections are showing that we will have a FY19 surplus of $380,000. The new
General Fund Balance for 2019 is projected to grow from $3,535,293 to
$3,915,795. In two years, we have grown the Fund Balance by $840,363. Good
fiscal management has enabled these kinds of improvements in spite of continued
pressure on revenues due to state legislation imposing fees and revenue
reductions on local governments. This
growing surplus will enable the Village to either self-fund needed capital
projects and/or reduce debt and water bills.
• Most major contracts, payments and business processes are under
constant review to help improve the village’s financial efficiencies. For
example, our newly appointed treasurer, has helped to review and revamp our
financials and bank accounts which will yield over $120,000 of increased non-tax
revenues for the Village.
• The staff now meets every two weeks to discuss complaints, issues
and plans to improve your community life.
• New hours have been implemented at the Village Hall improving
communication and service with the community.
(8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Thursday)
• There is more communication via the Code Red 911 reverse
notification system to better inform you of weather alerts, safety issues and
road closures.
• Financial expenditures are now more transparent than ever and are
available via the Village website and at Board meetings.
• We have built a new website to make it easier to gain information.
The new website was designed to deliver greater clarity, search capability with
a new suggestion/complaint system with the goal of a 24-hour response and a
72-hour resolution, were possible.
• In an effort to enhance transparency in financial
reporting, the Village of Olympia Fields is offering an interactive reporting
tool that allows Village residents to explore the Village budget and actual
financial data online in various graphical formats. All village financial data
is now available at OPENGOV (https://www.olympia-fields.com/241/OpenGov)
• Access to department heads is more open and accountable.
• NO NEW DEBT in the last two years. We actually have retired bonds
lowering our debt obligations.
• We have grown surpluses in the General & Proprietary Funds that
will enable the Village to do capital projects without borrowing money.
• Capital project plans are now developed by Village staff based on
feedback from citizens and requirements versus from outside consultants and
grants.
• Bills are now paid AFTER services and projects are completed. We
no longer pay contractors and subcontractors in advance as was done by the
previous administration.
• All employees now receive annual performance evaluations. Each
employee has been given an evaluation.
• Included in the new way we develop the budget is a change to the Village
water rate allocation and fund balance policy. The police budget represents
almost 70% of the General Fund’s annual budget. The new allocation calculation
policy no longer includes police department expenses. Starting in 2018, we no
longer included more than $400,000 of police department expenses in the
resident’s water and sewer bills. Only those expenses directly associated with
water are charged against your water billing. This change resulted in an
ongoing savings to every resident.
• Water system losses are reflected in the water rate you pay. We
have been able to reduce losses from 16% to 9%. Even though water costs have
steadily risen, the Village has NOT
increased the rate to residents in two years. In fact, the Village REDUCED water rates by 10.5% for
residents last summer.
• You now receive a new full-page water bill which shows actual
current water and sewer usage, rates and historic usage data for trend
analysis.
• A Village newsletter is now included in each water bill to inform
residents of important information and to improve communication between the Village
and residents. Back issues can be found on the Village website.
• Stopped the growth of projects that residents did not ask for and
that do not add to real economic development growth.
• This Administration discovered and corrected the previous administration’s billing errors that allowed
Brookdale Management Corporation to pay only a fraction of its water bills.
They are currently paying their fair share and the Village is in negotiations with Brookdale Management Corporation for the
back fees owed for water and sewer usage.
I am very proud of our Village staff that continues to
hold down General Fund operating expenses. The 2019 projected General Fund
expenses are $206,815 lower than budgeted expenses. Yet, certain expenses such as pension
obligations are beyond the Village’s control.
Our 5-year forecast suggests that the Village must grow revenues by
$1,249,000 to offset pension and other known escalating expenses. We will
continue to explore ways to balance the budget without increasing taxes. We
have implemented a comprehensive economic development program to bring to the
village much needed new businesses that are impervious to the internet and the
inevitable turmoil associated with changes to the economic climate.
3. Protect
Village of Olympia Fields’ property values with an economic development program
that is consistent with future life style and the new economy business model.
• When VOOF owns the land, we control our own economic development
destiny. We have acquired new parcels of land around the village at no cost.
For example, the Village now owns all but one property around the Post Office
and the Olympia Fields train station. The Village is well positioned for future
TOD (Transit Oriented Development).
• Options are under consideration to acquire and redevelop the Jewel
Plaza.
• Hired an Economic Development Consultant (Trinette Britt-Johnson)
to assist with finding appropriate businesses for our community.
• Strengthened the Economic Development Commission (EDC) by adding
experienced and skilled village residents who bring valuable experience to the
process.
• Implemented a proactive retention outreach program to existing
businesses and did outreach to EDC groups in surrounding communities to
learn/compare best practices.
• Rezoned the hospital campus to create a Medical District similar
to the University of Chicago and University of Illinois Medical Districts.
• Completed a Village and Area Economic Development Market Study and
needs assessment which will assist with attracting appropriate businesses
consistent with the new economy business model.
• Completed justification and we are working with developers to
build a first-class hotel and banquet facility for Olympia Fields.
• Working with multiple developers rather than one “preferred”
developer which creates competition and increases the opportunity for success.
• We are in the planning stages with five new restaurants (Culver’s,
9ER’s Family Style and three Lincoln Park transplants: Batters & Berries,
Italian and Steak theme restaurants).
It is not necessary to grow our population and housing stock to
balance our budget. Our highest priority is to protect your investment in the
Village of Olympia Fields and the natural beauty and social economic nature of
our community not the government that supports our Village. It is a high
priority to deliver best of breed local governmental services while controlling
expenses. My Administration will continue to take advantage of every practical
resource, working with our Finance Committee, Economic Development, Community
Relations and Zoning Commissions to ensure that we will be able to maintain our
preeminent role in the southern suburbs.
Thank you for your support.
Sterling M. Burke
President, Village of Olympia
Fields