April 19, 2024
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La Salle County Board squeezes some COVID-19 aid requests

Board member urges panel not to saddle taxpayers with future obligations

By Tom Collins
La Salle County Governmental Complex

A newly-elected member of the La Salle County Board asked his peers Tuesday to table some of the internal expenses. Ray Gatza (R-Dimmick Township) was voted down. (Shaw Media file)

A newly-elected member of the La Salle County Board asked his peers Tuesday to table some of the internal expenses. Ray Gatza (R-Dimmick Township) was voted down.

At a Tuesday special meeting of the full board, Gatza said he was approached by several residents with concerns about the board’s spending of COVID-19 relief funds – he said the board has exceeded requested sums – and urged restraint to keep from saddling taxpayers with future obligations.

“Please don’t view me as your opposition,” Gatza said. “Please view me as a voice of reason.”

La Salle County Board La Salle County Board member Ray Gatza (R-Dimmick Township) argues for a motion to table some COVID-19 relief funds. (Tom Collins)

Board member Doug Trager (D-Ottawa) also expressed concerns with the board’s spending, repeating his past assertion the board needs to concern itself with direct relief to those affected by the pandemic rather than trying to cut taxes.

“The people we should be concerned with, in my mind, are people who were hurt by the pandemic and need funds to recover and rebuild,” Trager said.

Though the motion to table failed by a vote of 15-6, the various comments put the board in a penny-pinching mood. The board put a dozen pending expenses under the microscope and some petitioners walked away empty-handed.

The board gave $193,500 to Starved Rock Country Foundation for assorted expenses (increased from a requested $59,500) and both Utica Fire Department and the Ottawa Knights of Columbus got their requests for $67,065 and $45,800, respectively.

By contrast, Circuit Breaker School in Peru received $1.2 million for a new HVAC (reduced from a requested $1.65 million), La Salle County Tourism got $150,000 for promotion (reduced from a requested $250,000), Mendota Tri-County Fair got $25,000 (reduced from $135,000) and Mendota Fire Department got $110,000 (reduced from a requested $400,000).

But the board voted down requests by Waltham Township (broadband and green space), St. Genevieve Riverboat (electric service and cables from shore), Deer Park Township (culvert work) and Time to Recover for equipment, training and renovation costs

The board also tabled a requests for $170,500 and about $50,000 by the Ottawa Fire Department and Habitat for Humanity, respectively, so the board can seek additional information.