Finance and Personnel Committee Meeting - May 26, 2026
Finance and Personnel Committee Meeting - May 26, 2026
The Finance and Personnel Committee of the City of Rockford met on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall. The meeting covered financial performance for April 2026, approval of the 2025 Supplemental Appropriation Ordinance, and several resolutions including a DCEO grant, police equipment purchases, and a change order for the Church Street and Main Street two-way conversion project. All items were approved unanimously.
Information Only - Financial Discussion for April 2026
- Director of Finance Haggerty presented the financial performance through April 2026. In the general fund, replacement tax (PPRT) was underperforming by about $1.3 million (30% of payments received), offset by overperformance in income tax and other revenues. Total general fund expenses were $4.1 million (5.5%) under budget year-to-date. In the Capital Projects Fund, CIP sales tax overperformed by $460,000, and the water fuel tax was about 1% over budget.
- Alderman Beach asked about police and fire department budgets. Police were $3 million under budget year-to-date, but with $3.1 million in capital equipment purchases pending (some approved this evening), the department is expected to end on budget. Fire department overtime was over budget, but permanent salaries were under budget, and $851,000 in capital expenses had already been spent, so the fire budget is also expected to end on budget.
Committee Reports
- Approval of Vouchers in the amount of $13,402,796.72. Motion to approve passed unanimously.
- Approval of the 2025 Supplemental Appropriation Ordinance (SAO). Director Haggerty explained that the SAO adjusts the budget to reflect actual expenditures for fiscal year 2025. The general fund adjustments total approximately $2.1 million, but the overall general fund expense was only $43,000 over budget (0.02% on a $226 million budget). Revenues fell short: replacement tax was $6 million under budget, ambulance revenue was $6 million under budget (due to a software change and review of collectible balances), offset by overperformance in income and sales tax. Net operating results were negative $9.5 million, which will be covered by fund balance. The fund balance policy requires 20% of operating budget; the drawdown will put the city $6.6 million under that policy. Alderman Beach noted that the state has cut the local government distributive fund from 10% to 6.47%, costing Rockford $144 million since 2012—equivalent to over three years of property tax revenue. Alderman Torina added that the city has kept its property tax levy flat for 12 years, and the city's portion of property taxes is only about 20% of the total bill. The SAO was approved unanimously.
Resolutions
- DCEO Grant Award – Acceptance of a $3,000,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the acquisition and renovation of the new Family Peace Center at 214 North Church Street. Approved unanimously.
- Police Vehicle Computers, Docking Stations, Printers and Components – Award of a joint purchasing contract to CDS Office Technologies for $153,362 (one-time purchase, Capital Lease Fund/Police Capital Budget). Approved unanimously.
- Panasonic Toughbook Laptop Bundle and Extended Warranty for Field Training Officers – Award to CDS Office Technologies for $36,900 (one-time purchase, Police Operating Budget). Approved unanimously.
- Police Vehicles Equipment and Installation – Award to Dana Safety Supply Inc. for $439,388 (one-time purchase, Capital Lease Fund/Police Capital Budget). Approved unanimously.
- Police Radar Equipment – Award to Kustom Signals Inc. for $39,870.46 (one-time purchase, Capital Lease Fund). Alderman Beach asked about the relation to previous radar purchases; staff explained this is for 22 new squad cars, but only 14 radars are needed to ensure all vehicles have proper equipment. Approved unanimously.
- Change Order: Activate Church Street and Main Street Two-Way Conversion (Supplemental #2) – Amendment to the contract with GFT Infrastructure Inc. for $708,236.27. Original contract $799,243.56; previous supplemental #1 $351,565.00; total amended contract $1,859,044.83. The change order covers additional consultant services for right-of-way acquisition, appraisal, and land acquisition negotiations for approximately 42 parcels, plus additional survey and design work to address IDOT review comments on drainage, ADA ramps, and traffic maintenance. Staff noted that the project was paused in 2022-23 when state funding was reduced, then resurrected with a $6 million package. IDOT standards have changed, increasing the number of parcels from 30 to 77. Alderman Beach expressed frustration with delays and asked about timeline; staff estimated construction in 2027. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All agenda items were approved unanimously by the five members present (Ayes: 5, Nays: 0).
- The 2025 Supplemental Appropriation Ordinance was passed, authorizing $2.1 million in line adjustments to reflect actual expenditures, with the $9.5 million revenue shortfall covered by fund balance.
- The Church Street/Main Street two-way conversion project is expected to proceed with construction now targeted for 2027.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the Finance of Personnel Committee meeting held tonight, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Sir Clerk, please take roll. Welcome in. Here Toonberg. Here, Frost. Beach. Here, five present. Thank you. First item under information only is financial discussion for April 2026. Yes, sir. Thank you. So performance through April of 2026 in the general plan revenue performance. We continue to see under performance and replacement tax or about 1.3 million under budget through three of eight payments or 30%. That is offset in part by overperformance on income tax and other revenue sources. On the expense side, a general fund a total 4.1 million under budget year to day or about 5.5% in the CAP fund. We have CIP sales tax overperforming by about $460,000. Water fuel tax is just about 1% over budget in total and in the redevelopment fund. Are there any questions? Thank you, Chair for allowing this week on your committee. Quick question for you, Miss Haggerty. On the police, I noticed year to date expenses versus the actual were trending three million. Is that correct? Under uh currently, yes, they're about three million under uh the expected uh expenditures for the year. Um however, we have about 3.1 million budgeted for capital equipment purchases, several of which will be approved this evening. Um, so there's some expenses that are uh one time in the HR that would sort of throw off those uh those totals. So uh your forward pass projection is will beat that up completely. Yeah, we we would anticipate that by year end the um police department budget will will end on budget. Yeah, and then uh similar thing if I might ask one more uh fire. I know that we're um running hot a little bit here over budget. Is this trend going to continue from that perspective or year to date will balance out based on what we kind of forecast for this year? Certainly, so overtime is currently over budget. Um, if you look at the detail on uh the fire department's line by line as page 17 of 34 in the PDF document, um permanent salaries is currently under budget uh year to date, so anticipating that there will be some um offsetting uh expense savings there to cover the overtime expense. Um additionally, there are um excuse me. We have capital some capital expenses in the fire department that are uh sort of the opposite of police. They're uh have been spent already um 851,000 at one point to budget. Um so again, we anticipate by year end that the fire department budget will end that budget. All right. Thank you. Yep. Thank you. Um moving on to committee reports item one is the approval of vouchers of 13,402,796 and 70 percent. Is there a motion to approve out? So moved. Sorry, any questions or comments on seeing none, all is in favor to keep it. Aye. Aye, vote, very fast. Item two is the approval of the 2025 supplemental appropriation ordinance. Is there a motion to approve it? Um before we take questions, Ms. Haggard.
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