More Savings & More Solutions!

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• Whenever the Village has budgeted for a surplus, the extra money we have does not go towards reducing our deficit, paying off our pensions or saving that extra money and placing it in our reserve fund. We can also institute many other objectives that will save us money and decrease the financial strain of each fiscal year’s budget. More importantly, create more revenue streams so the Village won’t be so reliant on sales tax revenues.

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1. In-house Billing - A number of billing services that the Village contracts out to private companies can be brought in-house. We used to pay a company approximately $12,000 a year to do our water billing services until we initiated the “Water Meter Exchange Program” , received digital meters and software that allows our Office Employees to do this in-house. So, we can implement this same technique with respect to ambulance billing services, travel services, insurance policies and many more services as well. I'd like to inform people that our Water Enterprise Fund has been losing money for the last 20 years. No longer are we losing money. The City of Chicago has raised water rates tremendously over the past four years (more than 70%) and we could not sustain these increase without increasing water rates. But, everyone must understand that the money we make from water sales goes towards maintaining our water and sewer infrastructure. We need to build this respective fund up in order to focus on flood protection measures which the Village has ignored for decades.

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2. Incentive Packages for Employees – Village Employees (both Union and Non-Union) that have worked for the Village for over 20-25+ years will be offered an incentive package to retire. These current Employees are what we call “Tier 1” employees and receive Gold package health insurance plans, post-employment health benefits (for themselves & their spouses) and of course a higher salary for their tenure. It would be cheaper to offer an incentive package and then hire “Tier 2” employees who will be receiving a Silver package or HMO package for health benefits (still great benefits), they won’t be eligible for any post-healthcare retirement benefits, but rather an HSA (Health Savings Account) and they will start off at a lower salary. Lombard is currently initiating this program and plans to save near or over $3 million.

(No Village Employee (both Union and Non-Union) will be forced to retire; this is just an incentive

package that will save us money in the long run "if" any Village Employee chooses to take part in it).

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.3. Instituting a Chamber of Commerce – Since the Village is so dependent on sales tax revenues to maintain its budget, it only makes sense to create a Business Development Group or Chamber of Commerce consisting of local business owners and influential entrepreneurs who reside in North Riverside to help boost our Business District’s sales and more importantly market the town. This will increase sales tax revenues, pool economic resources and help market the town for financial prosperity.

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4. Creating New Revenue Streams & Creating More Savings – By bidding out contracts that have been awarded to companies with no competition for decades( through Mayoral appointments), by creating new revenue streams via Police Department, Fire Department and Recreation/Parks Department and finally using these streams to pay off our debt; we can once again build our individual funds and reserves to a respectable level. We can continue to maintain our infrastructure by repairing and resurfacing our streets when necessary and also focus on flood control by lining our sewers, moving towards sewer separation projects and working together with other communities to combat flooding.

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5. Firefighter Entry Exam Candidates to perform Ambulance Services - The men and women who will take the entry exam that the North Riverside Fire Department conducts to obtain new hires, shall perform and takeover our Ambulance Services. The individuals on the entry list will not only gain on-the-job experience but will also familiarize themselves will our Department and our entire Village. Bensenville has recently implemented this measure (the have 2 Fire Stations) and have witnessed considerable savings!

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6. Grants, Grants & more Grants – The Village just recently hired a professional grant writer and a professional lobbyist. We never “aggressively” took advantage of grants that are available through the State or Federal Governments. The Firefighters at one point hired a grant writer and received a 50% grant for a new Pump truck (around $350,000 granted) and new gear (around $30,000). We need to be proactive and pursue grants available for fixing anymore streets, lining sewers, purchasing new vehicles and any capital projects we may need.

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7. Safe Houses Program - This is the ultimate community-based effort to ensure the safety and security of our children during school time or summer time when our children are walking home from various activities. MVP Candidates vehemently want to pursue a coordinated effort to ensure the safety and security of children when they're alone or not accompanied by an adult.

​               a). By expanding our "Neighborhood Watch Program" we can provide "Safe Houses", where households are screened through                     background checks and allowed to portray a "Safe House" emblem on their front window pane to help any child that                                  is under some sort of a possible threat.

               b). Children that are being followed, harassed or bullied when walking alone towards their destination can utilize this                                    community safeguard where a household can provide safety and security while notifying the police for proper assistance.

               c). This also can be utilized for all residents (old and young, male and female) to incorporate a community based security                             provision at all hours of the day. We are neighbors, we are friends and we are family that should help each other at all                             costs and at all hours of the day!

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8. Term Limits - We need to implement term limits for every elected position on the Board of Trustees. Five (5) terms for the Village President (Mayor) & Village Clerk and four (4) terms for the Village Trustees. This immediately eliminates any patronage jobs, no-bid contracts, allows a greater deal of Citizen participation and ensures that the Village will discontinue any pay-to-play politics. One political party has continued to dominate control of our Village Politics for over 3 decades. It is time to end past practices and allow a new, younger and fresher administration to take hold of all of the Village's future proprieties.

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9. Sewer Projects - After thoroughly telescoping the entire Village's sewers and identifying our strong points and weak points; cured-in-lining for our sewers is the best and most cost-effective solution. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) just completed one stage of lining a large sewer line on 1st Avenue between Cermak Road and 26th Street. We will on a smaller scale, begin to implement this procedure on a few Avenues in town. The process consists of a resin-saturated felt tube made of polyester, fiberglass cloth or a number of other materials suitable for resin impregnation, which is inverted or pulled into a damaged pipe. This along with sewer separation and sewer redirection projects is imperative for flood protection control. We must continue these efforts and keeping repeating this cycle in order to ensure our Residents will not suffer from our inactivity.

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10. Volunteer Program - This would be a wonderful program to implement for a variety of residents to experience, help out and witness first-hand how our Village Departments and Employees function.

a). Resident Policing - We have a great deal of active and retired Police Officers living in our Village. They can help assist our Police Officers and our PSA's (Police Service Aides) by performing ride-alongs, reporting suspicious activity and patrolling our streets.

b). Festivities and Events - Residents can also volunteer their time and efforts to help with the Village's festivities. I for one can attest to helping the Recreation Department during festivities and I will continue to show my support and lend a volunteer hand. From working in the kitchen for "Turkey Bingo", pouring drinks at the "5K Run" and the "Autumn Fest", help barbecue for our "Car Show" (all which I have done and will continue to do). Residents can help and get a hands on experience on how the Village functions.

c). Help on Crucial Weather Days - Whether we're blasted by 20 inches of snow, a 50-year rainstorm, extreme heat or sub-zero temperatures; we can have volunteers check on the elderly and others. All Departments do a great job along with our Neighborhood Services and Block Captains. We need to all pitch in a little more and the result will be phenomenal!

d). Resume's - These activities will not only benefit all Residents but specifically High School and College Students. Community activities such as these look great on an application and we also have many influential Residents, Business Owners and Village Employees that would aid in writing letters of recommendation.

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11.  Expanding Special Needs Programs - Residents have endured the difficulty of commuting long distances to receive the special needs services that should be provided by our local municipality. We need the Recreation Department to work together with neighboring towns and establish a cooperative effort to implement these programs. After fighting for many years to implement Special Needs Programs through the entities listed below, the Village have finally succumbed to pressure and coordinates with the WSSRA to bring these programs to light. We must continue to explore various programs and work with the parents of special needs children to enhance and perfect experiences for all special needs that are available.

 

Please Click on the Following Link in order to view:

a). Special Recreation Association Network of Illinois (SRANI)

b). West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA)

c). Special Parks & Recreation (SEASPAR)

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12. Crime Free Multi-Housing Program – 

The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is a, state-of-the-art, crime prevention program designed to reduce crime, drugs, and gangs on apartment properties. This program was successfully developed at the Mesa Arizona Police Department in 1992. The International Crime Free Multi-Housing Program has spread to nearly 2,000 cities in 48 U.S. States, 5 Canadian Provinces, England, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico, to name a few.

The program consists of three phases that must be completed under the supervision of the local police department. Property managers can become individually certified after completing training in each phase and the property becomes certified upon successful completion of all three phases.

The anticipated benefits are reduced police calls for service, a more stable resident base, and reduced exposure to civil liability.

Training Coordinators

The program begins with the training of a law enforcement agency coordinators who will administer the program in their jurisdiction. Each Crime Free Multi-Housing Coordinator receives 24-hours of intensive training and becomes certified as an instructor of the program. The Crime Free Program Coordinators return to their cities and begin the provide training and certify apartment properties in their community. Fully certified properties have reported reductions in police calls for service up to 70% over previous years. The heart and soul of the program is in the correct implementation and use of the Crime Free Lease Addendum.

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Crime Free Multi-Housing Program Benefits:

• A stable, more satisfied tenant base. Increased demand for rental units with a reputation for active management

• Lower maintenance and repair costs. Increased property values

• Improved personal safety for tenants, landlords, and managers

 

Costs of Drug Activity In Rental Property

When drug criminals and other destructive tenants operate out of rental property, neighborhoods suffer and landlords pay a high price. That price may include:

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• Decline in property values — particularly when the activity begins affecting the reputation of the neighborhood

• Property damage arising from abuse, retaliation, or neglect; property damage from police raids

• Fire resulting from manufacturing or growing operations. Civil penalties, including temporary closure of the property — or even property seizure. Loss of rent during the eviction and repair periods

• Fear and frustration when dealing with dangerous and threatening tenants. Increased resentment and anger between neighbors and property managers

• The loss of other valued tenants

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Here is a brief outline of the program contents:

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Phase I – Management Training (8-Hours) Taught by the Police

• Crime Prevention Theory

• CPTED Theory (Physical Security)

• Benefits of Resident Screening

• Lease Agreements and Eviction Issues

• Crime Free Lease Addendum

• Key Control and Master Key Use

• On-Going Security Management Monitoring and Responding to Criminal Activity

• Gangs, Drugs Activity, and Crime Prevention

• Legal Warnings, Notices & Evictions Working Smarter With the Police Fire and Life Safety Training Community Awareness

"A 100-page resource manual is supplied with additional handouts."

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Phase II – CPTED – Survey by the Police

• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Survey (CPTED)

• Minimum door, window, and lock standards compliance inspection

• Minimum exterior lighting standards evaluation

• Key Control procedures evaluation

• Landscape maintenance standards compliance

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Phase III – Community Awareness Training

• Annual crime prevention social taught by property management and police

• Community awareness and continuous participation is encouraged.

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Full certification (gold certificate) permits the right to post the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program sign and advertise membership in the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program in the print media using the official logo. This certificate expires every year unless renewed following compliance with Phases I & II.

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The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program is a, state-of-the-art, crime prevention program designed to reduce crime, drugs, and gangs on apartment/residential properties. This program was successfully developed at the Mesa Arizona Police Department in 1992. The International Crime Free Multi-Housing Program has spread to nearly 2,000 cities in 48 U.S. States, 5 Canadian Provinces, England, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico, to name a few.