The cheers have quieted. The speeches have ended. Now it’s time to get down to business in Brookfield.
With the official swearing-in of a new administration in Brookfield on Monday night, the village board can again start trying to move Brookfield forward. It’s not going to be a simple job.
When the board hits the ground on May 23, they’ll hit it running. The first order of business will be producing a budget for a fiscal year which has already begun, one that adequately funds such resources as park improvements, street repair, major equipment/vehicle purchases and yet still balances.
In the recent past, that’s been a tall order.
President Michael Garvey has promised an open, wide-ranging discussion of budgetary issues during special workshops. In addition to staff input, he said he wants every board member to contribute to that discussion and move budget discussions out of the realm of politics.
Beyond that, we would also like to see, in relatively short order, a realistic plan for funding ongoing infrastructure improvements and a plan for addressing both economic and property redevelopment in the village.
No one said the next four years were going to be easy. But we hope this new administration will make them productive for Brookfield.
Combined effort pays dividends
Just shows what can happen when people work together.
After six years, Riverside will once again have a summer art fair, thanks to the combined efforts of many, many people, including resident Donald Spatny, who brought the idea of a “Chalkfest” to the attention of the village’s Economic Development Commission; the EDC members, who knew a good idea when they saw it and ran with it; Village Manager Kathleen Rush, who facilitated a way for the event to get off the ground by contacting an event management firm; the Riverside Chamber of Commerce, which stepped up when asked to commit money to help sponsor the event; and Riverside trustees, who supported the idea of an August art fair unanimously and put their faith in village staff and the EDC to make the event successful.
Is there a possibility the event could be a money loser for the village? Yes, but we think that the potential upside of the art fair and Chalkfest clearly outweigh the downside. It’s another way to get not only residents but visitors from other communities to see what downtown Riverside has to offer and has the potential to offer.
It’s a proactive way to market the village, something we hope the EDC and residents will continue to support in coming years.
