Gurnee presents FY 2025-26 draft budget showing $3.1M net use of fund balance, proposed transfers to capital and water funds

Gurnee Village staff on March 3 presented a draft fiscal year 2025-26 budget that proposes total revenues across all funds of about $101.4 million and a net planned use of fund balance of roughly $3.1 million for the coming year.

The budget presentation, led by Finance Director Brian Gosnell and Village Administrator Pat Moots during the joint budget workshop and regular board meeting, front‑loaded several large items: a $4.0 million proposed transfer from the general fund to support the capital program (initially described as $2.75 million to the capital fund and $1.25 million to the water and sewer fund), continued funding for pensions above actuarial requirements, and retention of healthy fund balances. Staff emphasized no property‑tax increase in the proposal.

Why it matters: staff said the general fund is projected to end FY25‑26 with roughly $33.4 million (about 70.4% of expenditures less transfers), slightly above the village policy target of 60–65%. The plan preserves a multi‑year capital program while attempting to maintain reserves that the village says protect its AAA/AA‑type credit…