Huntley Board Plans To Keep Budget Flat In 2013

The Huntley Village Board approved some minor tweaks to the update for Huntley's Master Transportation Plan Thursday and fastened their seatbelts to start work on the Village Budget for 2013.

Village Manager Dave Johnson said, at Trustee John Piwko's request, the plan would include existing and possible new bike paths and, at Trustee Harry Leopold's request, would include consideration of golfcart transportation.  The final draft of the update's scheduled for consideration next week.

On the budget, Johnson told trustees, "We're heading at keeping the dollar amount the same." That probably means some hard choices.  There was a passing reference Thursday to the Village's tree replacement program, for instance.  Ash borers are on a rampage in at least two Huntley neighborhoods right now and some trustees have suggested possible expansion of the tree program.  Trying to find money to do that would be just one of the problems putting a new budget together.

A budget first draft's expected at the end of the month with a property tax levy estimate Nov. 15.  A public Hearing on the budget and levy are scheduled Dec. 13.