The Burr Ridge village administrator and department heads will get more spending power thanks to an update in the village’s purchasing manual Monday at the regular village board meeting.
Evan Walter, the administrator, will now be allowed to spend $20,000 while department heads will be able to spend $5,000 without first having to seek board approval. This is an increase from $5,000 and $200. The purchases must be village related and will still be subject to review by the public and the board.
So, while the caps are raised, it doesn’t mean there will be any greater spending or any less oversight — just less trouble and work needed before spending money on necessary village items.
Walter said the cap had not been raised since 1989, and the new limits reflect other villages’ spending allowances. He said it’ll give more leeway to employees for making small purchases like things at Staples or a business lunch. The new updates also create rules for using the village credit card, as the old purchasing manual had no provisions for a card.
“This is a continuation to what I’ve asked Evan to do as village administrator,” Mayor Gary Grasso said, “to see how we can bring things up to date and streamline things . . . We’d still get to see the bills and we’d know the purchase was being made.”
According to the board’s staff summary packet, the updates should save time for the employees and the board.
“This amendment’s intent is to reduce the amount of staff time dedicated to preparation of lower-cost purchases as specific agenda items and allow for timely procurement of said items,” the summary reads. “Staff performed an analysis of the village’s spending patterns from 2015-present, identifying 112 purchases between $5,000 and $20,000 which were required to be approved by the Board as part of an agenda item. Of the 112 total purchases, all 112 were approved, with only eight not originally listed on consent.”
All purchases will still be listed for board review after the fact.
Trustee Tony Sciappa said he appreciated the effort and noted that nearby communities have similar spending caps.
“This is just efficiency,” Grasso said, agreeing with Sciappa. “And the police vehicles or whatever it is, the same expenditures happen as they might in Westmont or Naperville. It would still be out in the open and anyone can ask questions about it.”
“I don’t have an issue with that,” Sciappa replied. “There are multiple checks and balances.”
Trustee Al Paveza agreed.
“I was a little leery about it too, but he (Walter) said it would show up as a separate item on the vendor list and we can talk about it. So, so long as it shows up as a separate item, I’m OK with it,” Paveza said.