Savoy Village Board approves Colbert Park contract, raise for village president

SAVOY — The village board approved a design engineering contract on upgrades to Colbert Park at its Wednesday meeting, along with an increase for the village president’s salary and budget amendments for new positions.

The approximately $400,000 contract with MSA Professional Services Inc., which had previously failed to earn majority approval in June, was approved 4-2. Trustees Dee Shonkwiler, Dennis Donaldson, Larry Kanfer and Heather Mangian voted in favor, while Jan Niccum and Bill Vavrik voted against.

Planned improvements to the 55-acre park include, but are not limited to, an enclosed restroom building, a second grand entrance to the park, a loop trail around the park, a bicycle playground, a pump track, a skatepark, basketball courts, pickleball courts, a performance space, additional parking, a security gate and cameras.

“The idea is to design the entire park, and then once we have that, come back to the board and then say, ‘What elements of this would you like to have constructed in what phases?’” Village Administrator Christopher Walton said of the contract.

Additionally, the board voted to increase the village president’s salary from $8,000 to $15,000, effective at the start of the next term on May 7, 2025.

The ordinance also states that the compensation for the village’s elected officials will be reviewed every three-and-a-half years, “beginning with the terms of elective offices which commence on May 5, 2027.”

Niccum abstained from voting on the salary ordinance and said he felt trustees’ salaries — which are $4,000 and, like the president’s, were last updated in 2001— should be reviewed sooner.

Niccum was the sole vote against the budget amendment, which allocates funding for a third captain in the fire department and the new position of deputy village administrator.

Village President John Brown said that the board previously approved the budget amendment 4-1 at a Sept. 11 study session, a second vote was needed as a five-member majority was required to pass the ordinance.