Oak Park council adopts FY2025–26 budget; proposes 6% water and sewer rate increase

The Oak Park City Council adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and formalized a multi‑year plan at its May meeting, approving the three‑year budget, the proposed millage rates and a revised fee schedule.

City Manager Tongate, presenting the plan, said the three‑year document protects the city from sudden economic shifts and noted Oak Park's taxable value has recovered since the recession to roughly $760 million. Tongate told council the proposal includes a combined 6% increase in water and sewer rates — a partial pass‑through of higher wholesale charges from regional authorities — while recommending no across‑the‑board pay increases for city employees this year. He also highlighted retirement system funding rates: roughly 60% for public safety and about 53.7% for the general system.

"We are only passing on a combined rate of 6% for water and sewer," Tongate said, explaining the city had absorbed some wholesale increases and that the Water and Sewer Fund maintains a multi‑million dollar reserve for capital needs. He also described the city's general fund balance as a 'rainy day' reserve, reporting a fund balance near 17.3% (approximately $4,480,000), which Tongate said has been central to long‑term fiscal stability and potential credit‑rating improvements.

The council opened a public hearing on the budget. Ken Sherman, a trustee of the Oak Park Library Board, urged the council to reconsider recurring library security expenses, saying the library spends more than $20,000 each budget cycle for nine months of security and that those funds might better support programming and materials.

After public comment the council approved the resolution to adopt the FY2025–26 budget and the multi‑year projections. The fee schedule for FY2025–26 — covering small administrative and inflationary adjustments discussed in departmental work sessions — was also adopted by roll call.

Votes at a glance: the budget resolution and fee schedule passed on recorded roll‑call votes with councilmembers recording affirmative votes; several other routine items and contracts were approved in the same meeting (see ‘Council actions’ table below).

Why it matters: the budget sets tax and fee levels for the coming fiscal year, funds capital projects including parks and the Event Hub, and fixes staffing and service priorities (no general wage increases, targeted public‑safety hiring). The water and sewer increase will apply to residential and commercial bills pending standard billing cycles.

Council said staff will return with additional detail as projects and grant approvals finalize and noted staff expected a credit rating announcement later in the week.

Council actions: the meeting record shows the council approved the budget resolution, the FY2025–26 fee schedule, and multiple consent‑agenda items. Several individual capital awards and contracts (see separate articles) were also approved at this meeting.

The council adjourned at 8:01 p.m.