City Treasurer to Step Down from Office

William Powell, who was reelected in 2011, will resign his position later this month, Alderman Carlo Colosimo announced Tuesday night.

Yorkville Treasurer William Powell plans to resign his position later this month. Alderman Carlo Colosimo announced the intentions of Powell, who was reelected in 2011, Tuesday night. Powell did not attend Tuesday's council meeting. Powell's decision was made after council supported a referendum on the April ballot which will determine if the position of treasurer and city clerk should be elected or appointed. As treasurer, Powell's primary responsibility is to maintain the city checkbook and ensure bills are paid. Developing and tracking the city budget are responsibilities of city staff, including City Administrator Bart Olson. Last month Powell told council members it is not necessary for the position to be filled by an elected official…

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Referendum on Treasurer, City Clerk Set

Yokville voters will get a chance to decide if they want to continue electing a city treasurer and clerk, or if the position should be appointed.

Referendum on Treasurer, City Clerk Set

Voters will decide in April if the positions should be appointed or elected.

Yokville voters will get a chance to decide if they want to continue electing a city treasurer and clerk, or if the position should be appointed. That's a question that will appear on the April ballot alongside choices for alderman and school board officials. William Powell, the city's current treasurer, told council members last month that it is not necessary for the position to be filled by an elected official. He said city aldermen should appoint someone who is qualified to oversee the city's finances. The referendum will be binding on the city, meaning the city leaders must abide by the voters wishes. "Everyone is talking about smaller government and this is a step in that direction," Mayor Gary Golinski said at the Dec. 11 council …

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Jerry Bannister

11:19 am on Thursday, January 3, 2013

There are two sides to this decision. The question is obviously, should these positions be elected or should they be appointed (hired in the "normal" way) 1. Having any position be elected is a safety net against cronyism and is a potential stop gap against an incompetent person being in the office for an extended period. The job will/should be sought by people who can convince the majority of …   more ›

Yorkville Voters Reject Rec Center Referendum

52 percent of voters oppose ballot question on whether or not the city should purchase the Rec Center.

The people of Yorkville rejected a referendum on Tuesday’s ballot on whether or not the United City of Yorkville should purchase the Rec Center. According to unofficial voter results, 52 percent of voters in the 19 precincts in Yorkville rejected the question. Election results show 3,704 voters opposed the idea, while 3,408 voters, or 47.9 percent supported the plan. City officials said the ballot question would provide guidance to city council members on which way to proceed with the issue. The question on voters’ ballots read: “Should the United City of Yorkville purchase the Rec Center to operate as a public recreation facility through a 20- year installment purchase contract at a purchase price not to exceed $ 2.5 million with interest…

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REC Center Referendum on Tuesday's Ballot

Non-binding referendum will provide guidance to city council.

Yorkville voters will be asked to weigh in on whether or not the United City of Yorkville should purchase the REC Center, which the city has been leasing for about five years. A referendum question on the ballot reads: “Should the United City of Yorkville purchase the Rec Center to operate as a public recreation facility through a 20- year installment purchase contract at a purchase price not to exceed $ 2.5 million with interest at a rate not to exceed 6% per year?” A "yes" or "no" vote will provide guidance to city council members on how to procede. The REC Center currently has 1,400 members. Over 3,000 people use the facility every month, according to city documents. These members will pay for the purchase through membership fees and …

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Town Hall Meeting to Examine Sales Tax Referendum

Yorkville Mayor Valerie Burd, city staff to explain city's budget woes, answer questions Monday about April 5 vote.

The title for a town hall forum next week tries to simplify the city’s debt woes into a clear choice for voters: sales tax vs. property tax; which is better? Mayor Valerie Burd, who is seeking re-election April 5, is hosting a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at the Yorkville Public Library. The public meeting comes about five weeks before voters will determine whether city leaders can raise the local sales tax. The meeting will start with a presentation from city staff on the history of the city finances and end with a question and answer period, Burd said. “We’re going to explain how we got where we are and why you can’t cut the general fund to solve the problem in the sewer fund,” Burd said. “We’re trying to make people understand that even if …

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Valerie Burd

11:39 pm on Friday, March 4, 2011

I didn't do it because this wasn't supposed to be a City Council meeting. I wasn't there to hear what alderman had to say. It was supposed to be a meeting between the mayor and residents, so that I could get their opinions and report back to the Council. If I had an agenda and posted it, it would have been a special meeting of the Council, and aldermen would have had to get paid to attend, per …   more ›

Yorkville Mayor Proposes Sales Tax Increase

Mayor Valerie Burd is considering a sales-tax increase referendum to help cover future sewer debt payments.

Yorkville Mayor Valerie Burd wants to craft a sales-tax increase referendum so the city doesn't have to rely on property taxes to cover its sewer and water debt payments in the 2012-2013 fiscal year. "I believe real estate taxes are not an equitable tax," Burd said. "… I think sales tax revenue gives people an option as to whether they want to go to stores here and pay this." Yorkville presently gets 1 percent of the 7.25 percent sales tax from transactions in most parts of the city, but City Administrator Bart Olson roughly estimated a 1 percent sales-tax increase would bring about $2 million more next year for the city. Yorkville voters would have to approve the increase through a referendum, so Burd is expected to ask aldermen to place…

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Talk About Town

Do You Support the Proposed Bike Trail Referendum?

Yorkville Patch asked five people if they support the proposed bond referendum to fund part of several bike trail projects.

"No. Honestly, I think the Village should invest any money coming in on better more useful things needed around Yorkville." Breenen Platz, 32, Yorkville "Absolutely not. With the slump in this economy, city officials should be looking for ways to cut back on unnecessary expenses." Megan Esquivel, 37, Naperville "Yes. We should do what we can to preserve nature. I feel this bike trail is a step in the right direction." Alyssa Pemmens,  24, Yorkville "Yes. The jobs it could potentially bring is a positive. I'd like to sign the petition!" Jared Simmons, 30, Yorkville "No. This is not the right time to take on a project like this. I feel the people pushing for the bike trail are looking out for their own interest and not thinking about the …

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Union Leader Pushes For Second Bike Trail Referendum

Corey Johnson, of Laborers Local 149, is leading the petition drive for another bond referendum, arguing that Yorkville shouldn't lose the 80-percent state match.

A life-long Yorkville resident is leading a petition drive to put the bike trail bond referendum on the April ballot after it failed by 293 votes last month. Corey Johnson, who is secretary/treasurer of Aurora-based Laborers Local 149, said he'd hate to see city residents miss out on the state funds that would cover 80 percent of the projects' costs because some didn't want to provide the 20 percent match through a property tax increase. "This is a one-time shot," Johnson said. "Maybe once in a generation; maybe one ever. If we don't step up and take this, we're not going to have it ever." Johnson, whose union represents asphalt workers and others who could be hired to build the trails, is trying to collect 1,033 signatures by Jan. 3.  …

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Tired of Taxes

5:55 pm on Monday, March 28, 2011

All I am saying is "FOR THE RECORD" Did 100% of the people that signed the petition for the bike trails live within the city limits and do they have the legal right to vote yes or no for the bike trails?" YES OR NO? It's a very simple question. If the answer is no, then I feel that the whole petition should have been throw out as invalid. It's my opinion. I said "a" hotel. I never said the …   more ›