Mayor: Broadview reports $8.9 million general‑fund surplus in FY2023 but audits lag, village working to catch up

At a public forum, Broadview’s mayor told residents the village’s fiscal 2023 audit reflected a general‑fund surplus of $8,900,000 and described the administration’s efforts to modernize financial controls and catch up on delayed audits.

She said the village manages about a $33,000,000 operating budget across multiple funds and emphasized that municipal finance is complex because different funds (general, water, Motor Fuel Tax) are restricted to specific uses.

Why it matters: the mayor framed the surplus and strengthened controls as evidence of fiscal discipline in a non‑home‑rule municipality that cannot levy local income tax and must operate within statutory revenue limits.

What the mayor said: she attributed audit delays to staffing shortages at government audit firms after the COVID pandemic and said the village is actively working with auditors to complete FY2024 and then move into FY2025 audits. She described the department‑led budgeting process and said budget reductions are negotiated among departments rather than imposed unilaterally.

Pensions and costs: the mayor said police and fire personnel (salaries, pensions, healthcare) represent about 60% of the village’s operating costs. She stated police pension funding is in the mid‑50s percent range and that fire pension funding is similar but did not supply a definitive percentage.

Transparency: the mayor said warrants are read aloud at board meetings and documents are available from the clerk or by FOIA request. She encouraged residents to review ordinances and contact department staff with questions before assuming wrongdoing.

Next steps: village officials said they will complete the backlog of audits, continue grant maximization strategies and keep residents informed through livestreams and department contacts.

Attribution: all quotations and paraphrases in this report come from remarks by the mayor at the Straight Talk session.