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WINNETKA TALK : May 21, 1927 Village Manager's Annual Report Editor's note: Following is the first installment of Village Manager H. " Woolhiser"s annual report made to the Village council Tuesday night of this week. The report is a comprehensive survey of every phase of municipal ad- ministration of the village during the past fiscal year and should be of vital interest to every taxpayer and voter in Winnetka. It affords an insight into the great responsibility which lies with our muncipal servants, a responsiblity far greater than the casual observer can ever comprehend. Other installments of the report will follow from week to week until the entire survey is in the hands of the readers of WINNETKA TALK. To the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Winnetka: I take pleasure in transmitting to you a report covering the work of the several Village departments for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1927. The purpose of this report is to review briefly the work of the past year and to outline a program of activity for the year ahead. General Fund Finances Although the auditor's report for the past fiscal year has not been received, it is possible to submit figures which are fairly accurate, although subject to some adjustments in the annual aduit which is now in progress. The vear started with a General Fund balance of $20,464. The total receipts for the year were $308.757 or $19,672 more than was estimated in the bud- get. The expenditures from the Gen- eral Fund for the year were $307.020 or $12,665 more than was estimated 'n the budget. Taking into account the foregoing receipts. and expenditures, there re- mains a balance in the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year of $22,221, subject to auditor's adjustments, whereas the budget as adopted by the Council last year, contemplated a bal- ance of $14,931. In other words, we have finished the year's work with $7,000 more in the General Fund than was contemplated a year ago. The following tabular statement shows in summary form the income and expenditures of the General Fund, by departments, with a comparison with the budget estimates: 1926-27 1926-27 Over or Per Budget Expend. Under* Cent Public Affairs Norm. $ 41,075 $ 36,572 § 4,503* 11.9,* Public Imps. 40,000 54,384 14,384 36. $ 81,075 $ 90,956 12.2 9,881 General Adm. 22,165 20,058 2,107 9.5% Health Dept. 3,945 4,038 93 2.3 Public Works Gen. 75,130 74,615 b15* T+ Waste Disp. 36,200 36,390 190 5 $111,330 $111,005 325 3% Police Dept. 49,280 45,860 3,420*. 6.9* Fire Dept. 26,560 27,302 742 2.8 $294,355 $307,020 $12,665 4.39, Income 1926-27 1926-27 Overor Per Budget Revenue Under* Cent General Tax. $136,000 $137,481 § 1,481 Other 1.19, Inc. 88,785 106.934 18,149 20.4 Hydrant Rental Refund 1,600 1,600 Electric Div'd. 35,500 35,041 41 Special Div'd. 35,000 35,000 6.697 "$296,885 $316,557 $19,672 6.69 Less Tax Trnsf's. 7,800 7,800 Net Inc. $289,085 $308,757 $1,9672 6.89, It will be interesting to point out some of the important items of General Fund income : 1. Receipts from general taxes were $137,481, as compared with the budget estimate of $136,000. This tax income, which is 95.69, of the tax levy for Vil- lage purposes includes $7,800 assignable to retirement of filtration plant bonds and interest, making the net tax income for corporate purposes $129 681. 2. Interest received on bank deposits and on securities owned by the Village amounted to $3,095, as compared with the budget estimate of $3,800. 3. Justice fines, largely for viola tions of motor vehicle and liquor laws were $2,954, as compared with $9,546 the previous year. 4. Dog licenses amounted to as compared with $1,167 the year. 5. Receipts from amounted to $3,765, as compared with $2,503 the previous year. The increase is partially due to the increased fee now being charged for building permits, to cover electrical inspection. 6. Receipts from vehicle licenses amounted to $18,285 as compared with $15,768 the year before, an increase of 16%. 7. Receipts for garbage, ash and special rubbish collections amounted to $33,550, as compared with $32,556 the previous year and the budget estimate of $34,000. 8. Receipts from fire $1,460, previous building permits insurance tax. ' collected by the Village on thg¢ premiums of fire insurance companies not incor- porated in Illinois were $1,386. . The Village received 32,740 for miscellaneous work handled for private individuals, contractors and public util- ities. 10. The amount of $4,417 was received 946 Oak St., Winnetka Every Hat in Stock Reduced to $10 SOSRIP PSS Y SUSHP PYRE yYURMEIY PAE Se § a L Mid-Season Clearance SALE Commencing Monday, May Twenty-third Phone 320 as rentals for the new Village Hall paid by tht water and electric departments and rentals at the Village Service Yard. 11. There was rebated to the General Fund from special assessment funds, which amounts had been previously ad- vanced for preliminary engineering and legal expense, prior to confirmation, $18,776, as compared with the budget estimate of $3,000 made last year. 12. The total income, other than gen- eral taxes, amounted to $106,934, as compared with the budget estimate of $88,785, this income being approxi- mately $9,000 more than last year; to this income is added hydrant rental re- fund from the water department of $1,600, a regular dividend of 8% rom the electric department, amounting to $35,541, and a special dividend of $35,000 from the electric department, making a total income of $316,557. From this must be deducted the amount of general taxes collected for retirement of filtration plant bonds and interest there- on, amounting to $7,800, making a net total income of the General Fund of $308,757, or an increase of 6.8% over the budget. The expenditures of the General Fund as shown by the foregoing tabular state- ment, namely $307,020, show an increase over the budget estimate of 4.3%, and may be commented on as follows: 1. Normal public affairs expenditures, amounting to $36,572, show a decrease of 11% from the budget, due to the fact that $2,000 was estimated for grade sep- aration expense and only $670 expended, and sundry public expense was $645 in- stead of $1,500 as estimated. 2. Expense for public improvements, namely $54,384, or $14,384 more than the budget, included the Tollowing: Portion of cost of equipment for hew "building system {........2..s $ 1,406 Fire" Statioh .. 4&5 out, NVR, 37,801 Completion Village Hall 13,984 The new fire station, which was com- pleted during the fiscal year, with the ex- ception of grading and landscaping, was made possible by remodeling the old Vil- lage Hall at the corner of Ash Street and Ridge Avenue. An analysis of the total cost of the building to date is as follows: Contract Work--John H. Davies Contractor's actual cost per bills for labor and material, submitted and checked based on specifi- cations and contract ..$25,517.51 25% of saving, based on upset price of $26,370 .. 213.12 Extra work done on ap- proval of architect 1,305.32 Profit per contrect .. 2,500.00 $29,535.95 Architect's Fee ........ 3,053.59 Other Expense Paving and sidewalks 2,668.47 Grading and landscap- ing to March 31,1927 Lighting Equipment and Furni- ture Miscellaneous Expense 1,026.34 144.82 1,458.26 40.40 Total cost to March 31st, 1927 $37,927.83 In connection with the fire station, thru the interest of Trustee Srong, a special fund amounting to $777.50 was donated by interested citizens, of which $591.12 has been spent to date for special equip- ment, which could not have otherwise been provided for the department, such as a pool table, radio outfit and linoleum for the club room. Tt is planned to use the balance in this fund for athletic ap- paratus and linoleum in the department office. The total cost of the building to date has exceeded the appropriation of $35,000, by $2,801.45, for reasons shown by the foregoing analysis. In order to adequate- ly complete the landscaping of the park surrounding this building, it will be neces- sary to spend approximately $2,000.00 more during the present fiscal year, which amount has been included in the budget For | . BOOKKEEPING | Income Tax Cost Accounting Corporation t Accounting | call 3 1 Paul F. Jones | at Winn. 2103 ; 975 Oak St. Winnetka submitted later in this report. The completion of the new Village Hall during the past fiscal year, makes pos- sible a complete report on this project. The total cost of the. building, covering three fiscal periods, was $207,814 and whe land cost $39,603, making a total cost of $247,417. Ic will be of interest to summarize here the total cost in round numbers of the projects which have occupied the atten- tion of the Council during the past two or three years: Fire Station $ 40,000.00 Chestnut Court Improvement 15,000.00 Service Yard 81,000.00 New Village Hall 247,000.00 _ Total $383,000.00 It is significant that these much needed improvements have been provided with- out the issuance of bonds or incurring a deficit in the General Fund, and with « slight reduction in the Village tax rate, this having been made possible by the dividends paid by our municipally owned electric utility to the General Fund, from earnings over a ten year period. 3. General administration expense, namely $20,058 shows a decrease of 9.5% from the budget estimate. This expense represents 6.5% of the total cost of cor- porate operation. A more detailed discussion of depart- mental expenditures will be given later under the heading of each department. In connection with the consideration of expenditures for general government, a comparison was made during the year for the use of the Council, showing the rea- sons for the increase in public revenue and expenditures during the past fifteen years, together with comparisons of popu- lation increase, increases in rates for la- bor and in the level of commodity prices. This comparison showed that since 1912- 13, the population of Winnetka has in- creased 3.3 times; the assessed valuation has increased 4.1 times; expenditures for normal municipal activities, such as health, public works and fire protection have increased 7.2 times. The cost per :apita for normal operation in 1912-13 was $8.35 as compared with $18.40 in 1926-27, but adjusting this figure to the reduced value of the dollar, shows $16.70 as ihe equivalent cost per capita in 1912-13. Government cost payments for United States cities in 1915 were $20.34 per capita as compared with $42.29 in 1924 showing a similar increase. Another important point shown by the comparison is that government records show that as a city grows, the cost per sapita for municipal government increases instead of decreases, due to the fact that the problems of police, fire and health protection multiply with congestion, and due also to the fact that the larger 'he city, the greater the number and variety of services demanded of municipal govern- ment. The foregoing facts are shown by the following per capita costs of govern- ment, including schools and parks, for United States cities in 1924: Cities 30,000 to 50,00 27.37 » 50,000 to 100,000 27.76 2 100,000 to 300,000 29.20 » 300,000 to 500,000 39.38 »" 500,000 and over 42.45 An examination of the operating costs of the Village in 1912-13 om that at that time plan commissions and zoning ordinances were unknown; no expense was incurred for the study of traffic and grade separation problems; no public benefits on street improvements were as- sumed by the Village ; public health sery- ice was confined to a part time health officer receiving $200 per year; there was no building inspection or systematic records kept of sewers and pavements ; the disposal of garbage, ashes and rub- bish on a systematic basis; there was no ornamental street lighting system at that time, and streets were swept only occa- sionally by hand ; police salaries were less than $4,00 and no motorized equipment existed, either in the police or fire de- partment ; there were no full time mem- bers of the fire department at that time. The foregoing facts serve to show that with the increase of population and the lapse of time, the services demanded by the public from its municipal government tend to increase much more rapidly than the population. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Reach of 844 Prospect avenue, with their three children, Dorothy, Betty Mae, and Frank, and their niece, Miss Marjorie Friedman, left Winnetka Wednesday, expecting to sail May 21, on the Roma. They will land in Italy and will spend about three months traveling through Europe. Telephone Wilmette 3347 DR. FRANK B. ERWIN VETERINARIAN Specializing in the treatment of your best friends the "Dog and Cat" All calls recelve my personal attention e Ave. igs