Niles Annual Report 2022

20 Niles 22

Village of Niles 2022 Annual Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter From The Mayor ...........................

Board of Trustees ......................................

Core Values .................................................

Fiscal Strength ...........................................

Awards ..........................................................

Grants ............................................................

Strategic Planning ....................................

Business Development............................

Bike & Pedestrian Experience ..............

Arts and Culture ........................................

Infrastructure ..............................................

Police .............................................................

Fire ..................................................................

Golf Mill .........................................................

Human Services .........................................

Marketing Initiatives .................................

2022 Events Calendar .............................

By the Numbers.........................................

Village Finances.........................................

Communicate with Us .............................

2 3 4 6 8 10 11 14 16 18 19 22 23 24 26 28 29 30 34 44

A near northwest Chicago suburb of over 30,000, Niles is a family-friendly community that nurtures arts, culture and outdoor recreational experiences. We offer a fitness center, senior center, teen center and comprehensive counseling services for all Niles residents — plus a free bus thanks to our partnership with Pace.

And we have that one magnificent photo op — the Leaning Tower.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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Year in Review Friends, neighbors and family: It is my pleasure to present to you the Village of Niles Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2022.

Even as our world is experiencing challenging times, the Niles community is as strong as ever, and we are poised to grow on a scale not seen in fifty years. A redevelopment of Golf Mill is here, This publication is a “year in review,” which will restore it to be the crown highlighting some of the biggest jewel of Niles. This renaissance accomplishments of your Village extends to the rest of Niles as well, government from the past fiscal as the Village of Niles is aggressively year (May 1, 2021-April 30, 2022). pursuing improvements across all We are sharing this publication in parts of the Niles experience. From place of the traditional summer marketing family life, to installing “Focus On Niles” newsletter, with the beautiful new street lights along hopes that exploring all of the work our major corridors, to an economic we’ve done on behalf of you, the development staff eagerly drawing in residents and businesses of Niles, new shops and eateries, everything will bring you even greater pride is evolving and working together to and satisfaction in the Village you create a successful town and to draw love. This publication also represents in the next generation of Niles. our persistent strides towards increased transparency, making sure Regardless of what infrastructure members of the public have the and business expansion we see, information needed to be informed nothing is more important than the and engaged. While this document fabric of our neighborhoods and the is a look back at the previous year, connections we are continuing to rest assured that your government develop with our neighbors. I ran is still moving full speed ahead, so my campaign for Mayor on a be sure that you are watching our platform based upon building social media platforms, website, bridges, not walls, and it seems this e-newsletter and more to make philosophy is even more relevant sure you don’t miss a beat. than it was a year ago when I

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took office. We must continue together as a community, first and foremost, for all of the other great work and initiatives to matter.

Take the time to read through all of the wonderful highlights from the past year here in Niles. Know that I your Mayor, your Trustees, and your staff of the Village of Niles take great pride in providing a quality of life here in Niles that is second-to-none. I thank each and every one of you for being a part of this special place.

Sincerely,

Mayor George D. Alpogianis and the Board of Trustees Village of Niles mayor@vniles.com

Board of Trustees Niles Form of Government The Village is a “home-rule” municipality, as defined by the 1970 Illinois State Constitution.

Home-rule municipalities have significantly broader authority and latitude to manage the financial issues of government, most significantly in the ability to issue debt and increase taxes.

Danette O’Donovan Matyas Trustee (2013-2017, 2017-2021, 2021-2025) Chair, Public Works Committee

John C. Jekot Trustee (2013-2017, 2017-2021, 2021-2025) Chair, Human Services Committee

Joe LoVerde Trustee (2007-2011, 2011-2015, 2015-2019, 2021-2025) Chair, Finance Committee

Craig Niedermaier Trustee (2019-2023) Chair, Building and Zoning Committee Chair, General Government & Information Technology Committee

The Village has operated under the administrative form of government since 1961. Policy making and legislative authority are vested in a governing Village Board of Trustees (“Village Board” or “Board”) consisting of the Village President, often referred to as the Mayor, and six Trustees. The governing Board sets the policies for short-term and long-term Village initiatives. In support of the policy goals, the Board will adopt all necessary ordinances and resolutions, will approve an annual budget and appropriation, and will approve all construction contracts that exceed an expected cost of $25,000. All Board members are elected at large, on a non-partisan basis. Village Board members serve four-year staggered terms, with the Village President and three Trustees usually elected on the first Tuesday in April following U.S. Presidential years (years divided by four), while the other three Trustees are usually elected on the first Tuesday in April two years later. The Village Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances of the governing council and for managing day-to-day Village operations.

Dean Strzelecki Trustee (2015-2019, 2019-2023) Chair, Public Safety Committee

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Core Village Values As part of the Village leadership’s strategic planning process in 2020, five key strategic priority areas were identified, highlighting activities and initiatives that the Village should focus on in both the short- and long-term. The strategic priority areas identified as a result of the strategic planning process are described here. Look for these icons throughout the Annual Report to see how these values affect Village operations year-round.

Marketing and Communication It is important that the Village of Niles markets and communicates its unique character, variety of service offerings, and community assets to attract and retain residents, businesses, and visitors.

Through marketing and high-level engagement efforts, Niles demonstrates what makes it stand apart from the rest.

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Foster Community Identity The Village of Niles prides itself on being a place where a diverse population of residents and businesses call home.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements in creating a community where everyone feels welcomed. Adding to the quality of life, the Village strives towards promoting and supporting arts and culture as well as creating personal and digital gathering spaces to break down barriers and develop a sense of a connected and engaged community.

Diversified Economic Development Economic development is a vital tool in creating a thriving community and enhancing revenue streams.

This is especially important for the Village of Niles which depends heavily on a diverse sales tax base and much less on property taxes as compared to surrounding municipalities.

It is important for the Village to identify diversified development and redevelopment opportunities to support the Village’s financial stability and add to the quality of life for all community members and visitors. No matter the size of the development, followthrough and completion of projects will be critical.

Financial Stability and Transparency Maintaining fiscal strength and stability is key for any organization, public or private. Routinely undertaking financial assessments to understand the Village’s current financial profile, recognize changing trends, and identify opportunities for revenue enhancements and/or cost-cutting measures is vital to give elected officials a high level of confidence to make tough decisions.

This type of financial stewardship will allow the high level of service that Niles is known for to continue.

Infrastructure Planning and Funding Physical infrastructure are the building blocks of any community. It is critical to plan for, and adequately fund, infrastructure improvement projects to ensure sustainability, high-quality delivery of core services, and improved quality of life. In an ever-changing world where technology allows people more options for where they work and live, meeting the needs and expectations of potential and current residents and businesses is even more important.

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Fiscal Strength

RELATED CORE VALUES

Diversified Economic Development Infrastructure Planning and Funding Financial Stability and Transparency

One of the Village’s most important responsibilities is being fiscally responsible and accountable to residents. This means spending wisely and doing more with less.

As an example, in January 2021 the Village Board approved an update to the Village’s Purchasing Policy.

The purchasing policy assists the Village Board and Village staff with guidelines and directions

for the acquisition of goods and services of sufficient quality at the most economical price available; in an open, forthright, and ethical manner; in a manner which will comply with all local, state, and federal laws; and in a timely manner so that they will be available when needed. The policy is a manual that lays out a purchasing code of ethics and then goes through all steps of acquisition of goods and services, such as detailing conditions for competitive bidding and quotations, creating purchase orders, and detailing all relevant approval processes.

The Village is an annual recipient of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (COA) award.

The program has an impartial panel review the Village’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) against the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.

Village of Niles, Illinois Sales Tax Collected by Category

Calendar Year 2021 Amount

% Change From Previous Year

General Merchandise

$4,679,396

3.5%

Food

$2,802,086

-0.9%

Drinking and Eating Places

$2,593,230

27.8%

Apparel

$660,048

56.0%

Furniture, Households and Radio

$544,795

57.3%

Lumber, Building and Hardware

$2,957,173

11.6%

$6,459,946

21.9%

$6,191,907

28.2%

Automotive Filling Stations Drugs and Other Retail

$3,528,804

3.9%

$278,401

161.2%

$30,695,784

16.1%

Agriculture and Extractive Manufacturers

Total

Above figures include the State’s Municipal Sales Tax (1.0%) and Niles’ Home Rule Municipal Sales Tax (1.25%).

Source: Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR)

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The Village of Niles Administration Building, located at 1000 Civic Center Drive.

The Village of Niles maintains an AA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s, which is in the High Quality range and demonstrates very strong creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Local Economy There are a number of factors that influence the economy of a community. Three of the more common and objective measures are the level of retail sales, the employment level and the measure of building activity.

The Village is a $1.7 billion retail market with two Walmart stores, two Target stores, two Home Depot stores, two Fresh Farms stores, three Jewel stores, four car dealerships (Ford, Chevrolet,

Infinity, and Nissan), and a Costco, among others. Excluding Chicago, Niles ranks in the top fifteen among all Illinois communities in retail sales tax volume. Learn more about sales taxes in the Village Finances section on page 35 and page 37.

The Niles unemployment rate as of April 30, 2021, is estimated by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) to have been 6.8%, compared to 7.1% statewide.

Those figures are down from the previous year’s end of 19.8% (16.8% statewide), which reflected the severe impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus and the policies put in place to reduce its spread through the population. The most recent IDES data has a preliminary April 2022 Village of Niles unemployment rate of 3.1%, compared to 4.4% statewide.

The Village’s past and current TIF redevelopment districts serve as catalysts for retail growth. The major shopping centers in the Village offer an attractive mix of goods and services. There is a vibrant local business community supported by residents who are aware of the impact of keeping commerce local. In order to continue offering shopping and employment opportunities, as well as diversifying the tax revenue mix, the Village dedicates extensive resources to further economic development. Learn more about recent economic development activity on pages 14-15, and turn to page 24 for a look at the reimagined Golf Mill Town Center.

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Awards Niles TV/NATOA In 2021, Niles TV received an “Award of Honor” (pictured below) in the 36th annual NATOA Government Programming Awards. The Village’s video about sister city Pisa, Italy earned the honor in the “Community Awareness” category in its class, which includes organizations with an operating budget up to $200,000.

NATOA is a national organization focused on supporting the communications interests and needs of local governments.

Police Department ILEAP Tier II Accreditation The Niles Police Department achieved full accreditation at the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP) Tier II level by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP) is the ongoing process in which law enforcement agencies throughout the State of Illinois evaluate policies and procedures against the 180 established standards of ILEAP Tier II accreditation. The Niles Police Department’s assessment included days of file review, department tours, vehicle inspections, multiple interviews, ride-alongs, and an exit interview over the course of two days. The Niles Police Department was in compliance with all 180 standards and the accreditation is valid for four years.

The achievement of Tier II accreditation reinforces the Niles Police Department’s commitment to serve the community, commitment to transparency and accountability, and is a testament to the professionalism and integrity of the men and women of the NPD.

American Public Works Association Suburban Branch Public Works Project of the Year for Structures In 2021, the American Public Works Association Suburban Branch recognized Niles Public Works with the “Public Works Project of the Year for Structures” award for the Village’s Water System Master Planning and Reservoir Rehabilitation project.

In 2014, the Village of Niles Public Works staff determined that they had an aging water plant that

Niles Senior Center - Center of Concern Partner of the Year Award Over the past year, the Niles Senior Center has partnered with the Center of Concern through a variety of programs and services including Memory Café, Lunch With Us, and the distribution of COVID-19 Care Packages to those in need. Niles Senior Center staff have continuously collaborated with the Center of Concern to enhance available programs. As a result, the Niles Senior Center was honored as “Partner of the Year” by the Center of Concern.

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From left: Vice President Lou Jogmen and Executive Director Ed Wojcicki of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police present Mayor George D. Alpogianis, Police Chief Luis C. Tigera, and Public Safety Committee Chair Trustee Dean Strzelecki with a plaque recognizing the Niles Police Department’s ILEAP Tier II Accreditation at the March 22, 2022 Village Board Meeting.

For the reservoir 4 contract, the Village hired Bulley and Andrews to scan the reservoir and create a 3D model so that the crack quantities could be measured in situ prior to bidding and the quantities fine-tuned to reduce risk. While building 3D models are often used in the world of architecture, engineering, and construction, the Village believes this application was quite unique.

suffered greatly from deferred maintenance. A master plan was substantially complete by December 2015 and recommended numerous water plant repairs.

In 2019, the Village of Niles substantially completed the rehabilitation of Reservoir 4 at its Main Station water works facility.

This marked the culmination of five years of planning, design, project coordination, and construction, which renewed the Village’s most important potable water delivery facility. The Reservoir 4 project included 10 engineering and construction contracts totaling $5.6 million.

The repairs involved with this project ensure the four reservoirs, totaling 10.2 million gallons, will continue their life well into the future. Fred Braun, the Director of Public Works for the Village of Niles said, “This multi-phased project is a prime example of multiple agencies working in unison with consultants, contractors, inter-department staff, government agencies, and elected officials to complete a project protecting one of, if not the most, critical assets of a municipality.

This project helps ensure safe drinking water for the residents and businesses of the Village of Niles by increasing the resilience of the water facility infrastructure.”

Tree City USA Recipient Niles Public Works was recognized as Tree City USA for the 8th consecutive year in 2021!

Additionally, this marked Niles’ 5th year receiving the “Growth Award,” which is an additional higher tier of recognition in the Tree City USA program. Thanks to the hard work of Public Works staff and the commitment to green policies by Village leadership, Niles continues to create a healthier environment for current and future generations.

Left: The Niles Senior Center was named “Partner of the Year” by the Center of Concern.

Right: The Village of Niles, under the leadership of the Public Works Department, was again named a Tree City USA in 2021, and also received the additional “Growth Award” designation for the 5th consecutive year.

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Grants In order to reduce reliance on property taxes and to make the best use of available revenue, the Village of Niles is persistent in its pursuit of operational efficiencies, grants from local and national agencies, and other outside funding sources. The impacts of these efforts are significant, as they can lead to providing services at a lower cost to residents, or in some cases allow the Village to complete a project or provide a service that might not have been possible otherwise. Applying for grants and identifying efficiencies require a great deal of time and effort, but yield enormous benefits to the Village of Niles. In Fiscal Year 2022 alone, $2,874,867.50 in new grant funding was announced for the Village of Niles.

Below are a few marquee examples of grant funding in action in Niles, including grants that were awarded in previous fiscal years.

Greenwood Stormwater Basin Construction of the Greenwood Stormwater Basin project in Niles was financed by a $2 million grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), and local funds. The SRF program is administered by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and receives a portion of its money to fund these types of projects from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. SRF programs operate in each state to provide communities the resources necessary to build, maintain, and improve the infrastructure that protects one of our most valuable resources: water.

Read more about this project in the Infrastructure section on page 19 of this publication.

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Golf Road Pedestrian/Street Lighting and Sidewalk Infill On June 9, 2021, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Niles received an award of $2 million for engineering and construction of an improvement project on Golf Road from Dee Road to Washington Street. The primary project components are combination pedestrian and street lighting poles on Golf Road from Dee Road to Washington Street, and new sidewalks to be constructed along the same area.

The award is a combination of Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) funding at $1.6 million, and State funding assistance of $400,000 for the local match, for a total award of $2 million. As part of the application the Village agreed to provide $496,000 in matching funds for this project. The Village was previously awarded CMAQ and HSIP funds for sidewalk infill in this area, but this new funding further closes the gap on the cost of sidewalk infill and makes the lighting component of the project possible. The new lighting and sidewalk in this area will greatly improve pedestrian safety in this area, especially at night. Engineering for the project is ongoing, and construction is expected to begin in the next few years.

ComEd Energy Efficiency Program The Village of Niles was awarded a grant for $23,543.10 under the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program for the installation of LED streetlights on Milwaukee Avenue and Waukegan Road. Learn more about this project in the Infrastructure section on page 20 of this publication.

Milwaukee Avenue Streetscape

In October 2016, the Village was awarded an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant award from the Illinois Department of Transportation in the amount of $698,620 for costs associated with a streetscape improvement project along the east side of Milwaukee Avenue between Howard Street and Jonquil Terrace. The streetscape component of the Strategic planning is a p project was completed in FY22.

Learn more about this project decisions in the issue by issue.

Studies (CGS) at Northe Infrastructure section on page 19 with Board and senior st of this publication. two online surveys were

Executive S

Niles Senior Center Age Options Grants

front-line staff focus gro It is important to note community input effort community engagement the current developmen

The Niles Senior Center was With surveys and focus g awarded AgeOptions grants provided a positive atmo in the amount of $7,404 to and develop a vision for goals focusing on where provide accurate, objective and comprehensive counseling andterm. As discussed and r are a staple of good gove application/enrollment assistance to be done every other y on the following topics: Medicare coverage options including Original Strategic Prio Medicare, Medicare Advantage, MMAI and Medigap plans as well Ultimately, five key stra as Part D plans; retiree insurance highlighting activities a long-term. The strategic benefits of Medicare supplement insurance policies; Extra Help; are illustrated below [in included.

Medicare Savings Programs; and Medicaid Spenddown.

COVID-19 The Village of Niles, under the leadership of the Niles Fire Department, has meticulously tracked and submitted COVIDrelated expenses for reimbursement through government agencies.

As of June 2022, the Village has received $96,068.57 in reimbursements from FEMA for pandemic-related expenses, with an additional $53,476.01 currently pending approval.

NIU Center for Governmental Studies

A Village with a Plan (Or Several) The Village of Niles government prides itself in having structured plans to guide its efforts to make this Village the ideal place to live and work.

Read on for some of the most prominent plans that impact everyday decision-making and long-term strategizing.

Village of Niles — Strategic Planning and Goal Development 2020

Village Strategic Plan tive Summary A Strategic Plan is a high-level

planning document anning is a preferred approach to guiding anaimed organization’s future rather than making sue by issue. The at Village of Niles (“the Village”)and engaged the Center for Governmental providing guidance S) at Northern Illinois University (NIU) to for facilitate operational direction an a strategic planning workshop and senior staff members in September of 2020. Prior to the two half-day workshops, organization. During 2020, surveys were sent to the Finance and Planning and Zoning committees and a Village theconducted Village to ofgather Nilesinput undertook aff focus group was on the Village’s future vision and goals. for the first a more extensive/broader ant to note thatstrategic the Villageplanning refrained from undertaking input effort as part of this strategicthe planning process because of recent and on-going time.

Through strategic engagement efforts underway.

These include a Citizen’s planning process, Niles has Survey conducted in 2019 and development of the Comprehensive Plan which will seek community input. been able to:

s and focus groups as a starting point for discussions, the strategic planning workshops positive atmosphere for the the Boardorganizational and senior staff members to collaboratively review • Clarify p a vision for the Village’s future. Ultimately, workshop participants created strategic values. ng on where the Village wants to go as an organization in both the short- and long• Articulate a vision for where cussed and reviewed during the workshops, executive-level strategic planning sessions wants to be. of good governancethe andorganization leadership for progressive organizations and is recommended very other year. • Identify the challenges facing

the organization.

• Develop action steps to meet gic Priorities mandates and achieve the five key strategic priority areas were identified organizational vision. as an outcome of the process g activities and initiatives that thestrategies Village should on in both the short- and • Implement tofocus adapt The strategic priority areas identified as a result of the strategic planning process Strategic planning is a preferred to environmental change. ed below [in no particular order] and a brief explanation of each priority area is also approach to guiding an organization’s future rather than making decisions issue by issue. The Diversified Village of Niles engaged the Center Economic Development for Governmental Studies (CGS) at Northern Illinois University (NIU) to facilitate a strategic planning Financial Infrastructure Stability & Planning & workshop with Board and senior Transparency Funding staff members in September of Strategic 2020. Prior to the two half-day Priorities workshops, two online surveys were sent to the Finance and Planning and Zoning committees and a Foster Marketing & Community Village front-line staff focus group Communication Identity was conducted to gather input on the Village’s future vision and goals.

ntal Studies

A copy of Niles’ Strategic Plan can be found on the Village website at vniles.com/strategicplan. The Village Board formally adopted the Strategic Plan on January 26, 2021 at a regular Board Meeting. Village leadership will continue to revisit the plan annually to refresh its goals and objectives as needed.

Niles Comprehensive Plan (2030/2040 Plans) The Comprehensive Plan is the Village’s official policy guide for decision-making related to land use and development, physical improvement, and growth in Niles.

The Plan is comprehensive in every sense of the word. By its nature, it provides a high level of guidance for the future of the Village in areas such as land use, transportation and circulation, community facilities, community character, open space and environmental features, and sustainability. This policy framework provides the foundation upon which Village regulations, programs, actions, and decisions should be based. In short, the Niles 2030 Comprehensive Plan exists to preserve and protect important features, guide growth and change, manage development and redevelopment efforts, and improve the community's overall appearance and image. (continued on page 12)

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The Farm on Franks Community Garden provides opportunities for residents to grow together.

“Sharrow” markings designate shared lanes for vehicular and bicycle traffic.

Niles Police Department operations include bicycle patrols, providing an increased presence in the community.

(continued from page 11)

Adopted in 2011, the Niles 2030 Comprehensive Plan set forth a policy framework for guiding growth and change in the Village over the ensuing 10 to 15 years.

Now, the Village is completing the exciting process to update its Comprehensive Plan for the next generation! “Niles 2040” will further guide the future development, improvement and preservation of the community. The present time has shown us that the way we live, work, shop, connect, and recreate is constantly evolving. People have new expectations and aspirations for the places they call home. The Niles 2040 Comprehensive Plan will explore how the Village can better understand and address these changing times, such as a radically changed retail environment; transportation mobility innovations; an aging population; evolving housing preferences; changing work and commuting habits; and an increased focus on environmental issues and sustainability. The Village has undertaken a planning process to anticipate these changes and harness opportunity to create a resilient, well-designed, livable community that represents the aspirations and values of its residents.

Look for more updates about the 2040 Plan soon.

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.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Police Department Strategic Plan

The Village of Niles Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was adopted in 2014. Building off recommendations from the Village’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan and the Environmental Action Plan, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan developed an implementable strategy for creating a more walkable and bikeable community.

The Niles Police Department (NPD) Strategic Plan for 2021-2022 is a road map to the future. This plan embodies NPD’s Five Elements of Policing — Accountability, Transparency, Technology and Communication, Community Partnerships and Engagement, and Crime Prevention — which served as a guiding document in setting the Department’s strategic framework for NPD’s focus on performance and exemplary service to the Niles community.

In June 2022, the Village Board approved a revamped edition of the plan! The updated 2022 Plan provides a guide for the implementation of an array of infrastructure improvements, including sidewalks, on-street bike lanes, shared-use paths, and intersection upgrades for improved walking and bicycling in the Village.

Some key objectives in the plan include the elimination of all fatal crashes involving people walking or bicycling, closing all remaining gaps in the Village’s sidewalk network, and increasing the share of Niles residents who can walk or bike to work. Visit www.vniles.com/ bikeandped for more information.

As an agency, NPD continues to enhance its foundational strength to successfully achieve its critical mission. Planning is a multi-year process, in which the strategic plan provided foundational milestones and overall direction.

The Plan contains organizational, administrative, and operational priorities over the next year, which guides the successes of the Department’s work force and community partnerships.

As an agency, NPD continues its culture of respect and fairness, as well as embracing the Department’s commitment to professional service, diversity, and inclusion.

Village of Niles and East Maine School District 63 officials plant the Arbor Day tree on April 29, 2022.

A cyclist crosses the Oakton and Caldwell intersection via the North Branch Trail pedestrian bridge, slated for renovations this year.

A mural on the side of Fire Station #2 brings a splash of arts and culture to the Ballard Terrace neighborhood.

Above all, this plan focuses on doing the right things for the right reasons. The Niles Police Department provides selfless service to each citizen they encounter and treats each person fairly and with integrity, earning the trust and support of citizens they are sworn to protect.

PCI of roads in Niles was rapidly decreasing to a rating below satisfactory. While deferring road maintenance to save money might seem fiscally responsible, roads with a lower PCI score cost more to rehabilitate, as a simpler resurfacing project can turn into a major reconstruction project, which can cost millions of dollars more.

Presented with this information, Village leadership made a decision to increase funding for roads over the next three years to achieve a more acceptable overall PCI. After the three-year spending increase, an updated analysis will be performed and spending will be adjusted to maintain the new improved overall rating of the roads. Committing to this long-term plan of responsible road maintenance will prevent roads from falling into unacceptable condition and will save taxpayer dollars in the long run.

The latest update of the Village’s Stormwater Master Plan was published in 2018. Over the past decade, the Village has embarked on massive stormwater relief projects, most recently including the Cleveland Corridor Sewer Improvement Project, and the inprogress Greenwood Stormwater Basin project near Golf Mill.

CIP/5-year budgeting As a component of the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget process, Village staff separated the capital and operating components of the budget, creating a new 5-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

Developing the budget in this manner allows stakeholders and elected officials a more transparent and better understanding of the capital items in the budget, which are often the largest in terms of dollars and impact on the lives of citizens. This is the first time Village staff has presented a five-year comprehensive capital plan, which allows the community to see how the Village plans for the future.

Road Pavement Management Plan An analysis of the roads in Niles revealed that the Village was spending far too little on road rehabilitation. The condition of roads is measured by the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), and the

Stormwater Management Plan Since its inception in 2008, the Stormwater Commission has worked diligently to improve the management of stormwater in the Village and reduce flood risk. The 2009 Report identified prioritized initiatives that were implemented in 2009 and 2010. In 2012, the Village of Niles adopted the Stormwater Relief Program to address stormwater issues in the Village.

Arts and Culture Master Plan To help fulfill the recommendations of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, the Niles Public Arts & Culture Advisory Council was created to advance and promote existing arts and culture in Niles and to provide direction for future events and projects. In August of 2015, the Council met for the first time and determined that the best way to accomplish these goals is through an Arts & Culture Master Plan.

The Lakota Group and Jon Pounds, along with the Council and the community, have developed and completed the Niles Arts & Culture Master Plan, which was approved by the Village Board of Trustees on September 12, 2017. The full plan is available for viewing on the Village website at www.vniles.com/artsplan.

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Investing in Our Community: Business Development Projects

RELATED CORE VALUES

Diversified Economic Development Financial Stability and Transparency

Chick-fil-A

8575 W. Golf Road Niles’ second Chick-fil-A opened on October 13 at the southeast corner of Golf Road and Greenwood Avenue. A ribbon cutting was held on October 12 with Mayor Alpogianis and the Chamber of Commerce prior to the official opening the next day.

Before: Golf Mill parking lot After: New construction 4,978 square feet Value of construction: $850,000

Golf Mill Chevrolet

9530 N. Greenwood Avenue Golf Mill Chevrolet operated out of sales trailers for much of 2021 until their showroom and service facility were completed late in 2021.

Golf Mill Chevrolet is now fully operational at 9530 N. Greenwood across from Golf Mill Shopping Center. This was an excellent adaptive re-use of the former Best Buy location that was vacant for more than six years.

Before: Formerly Best Buy After: Remodeled 24,036 square feet Value of Construction: $2,000,000

Poke Bros

Burlington

590 Golf Mill Circle The new Burlington store opened on October 27 at Golf Mill Shopping Center in the former Kohl’s space at the north end of the mall.

Burlington held grand opening promotional sales and the consumer response has been strong. The new Burlington and Chick-fil-A operations have reinvigorated the north end of the mall property.

Before: Formerly Kohl’s After: Remodeled 1st floor 43,358 square feet Value of Construction: $2,340,000

5720 W. Touhy Avenue The new Poke Bros. Restaurant (pictured here) opened at Pointe Plaza in the former Starbucks location late in 2021. Poke Bros. brings Hawaiian sushi in a bowl to the Midwest. The restaurant is located across from Chick-fil-A. Before: Formerly Starbucks After: Tenant Buildout 1,875 square feet Value of construction: $18,000

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Take 5 Oil Change

9600 N. Milwaukee Avenue The Take 5 Oil Change facility (pictured here) opened in late December 2021 on the northwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Golf Road across from Golf Mill Shopping Center. The site was formerly occupied by Firehouse Subs and Nicky’s Bar. Before: Formerly Firehouse Subs After: Redeveloped building with enhanced facade 1,940 square feet Value of construction: $552,786

Medical Facility at Former Kiddie Kingdom Site

dd’s DISCOUNTS

The new owners of the former Kiddie Kingdom building spent significant funds in redeveloping the property for an optometry facility, refreshing this important stretch of Milwaukee Avenue.

The new dd’s DISCOUNTS store opened at Pointe Plaza on February 5 in the former Babies“R”Us space, located between Walmart and Fresh Farms. dd’s DISCOUNTS has a wide merchandise mix including apparel, bed and bath, kitchen and dining, and home improvement.

5660 W. Touhy Avenue

7403-7421 N. Milwaukee Avenue

Before: Formerly Kiddie Kingdom and Salon M After: Remodeled 20,257 square feet Value of construction: $1,000,000

Former YMCA The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago property was listed for sale by CBRE in July 2021. As part of the closure, the YMCA worked to relocate residents from the facility to comparable alternative housing. The Village is working with the YMCA to redevelop the property. The YMCA has accepted a letter of intent from a developer and they are working on a purchase contract. The Village’s Economic Development Director met with the developer and learned they are interested in redeveloping the property. The Village is working with the developer and will examine any redevelopment plans when they are submitted.

Before: Formerly Babies“R”Us After: Space subdivided 21,698 square feet Value of construction: $900,000

Upcoming: More new developments and business openings are expected in the months ahead, including Crumbl Cookies planning a new location at Pointe Plaza, Starbucks planning to anchor a proposed 5,100-squarefoot multi-tenant building in front of Jewel at Milwaukee and Oakton, and Dunkin’ Donuts planning a new facility with a drive-thru at 8584 W. Dempster in the former Baker’s Square restaurant that was recently

demolished. The Dog House dog grooming and dog boarding facility is setting up shop in the vacant former Skokie Automotive site at 7254 N. Milwaukee. Imbibe — specialists in creating beverages, flavors, and ingredients — plans to undertake a $4 million expansion of its campus at 7350 Croname and increase employment if they receive a Cook County Class 6b property tax classification.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 15

Bike & Pedestrian Experience The Village of Niles prioritizes the bike and pedestrian experience.

Through a combination of educational initiatives and strategic infrastructure projects, Niles is making a better environment for residents and visitors to get around without a car — whether on bike or on foot.

RELATED CORE VALUES

Foster Community Identity Diversified Economic Development Infrastructure Planning and Funding

Photo: Cycling along the North Branch Trail near Howard Street in Niles.

16 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Nordica Avenue A major pedestrian improvement project was completed last year at the mid-block crossing of Nordica Avenue behind Culver School, Home Depot, and the Nordica Apartments.

The project extended sidewalk areas and created clearer crossings to help children cross safely heading to and from school. The project took place during summer 2021, completed in time for the fall 2021 school year.

Sidewalk Infill The Village of Niles maintains a proactive sidewalk infill program, continuously looking for opportunities to add or improve sidewalks throughout the Village.

In FY2022, the Village constructed infill along the south side of Golf Mill Shopping Center (along Church Street). Also, in conjunction with a natural gas pipeline project, People’s Gas installed new sidewalk along the east side of Caldwell Avenue in 2020. A number of sidewalk infill projects are on the horizon. Thanks to a number of grant opportunities, the Village and its partners will be improving pedestrian access along Golf Road and Milwaukee Avenue near Golf Mill, improvements along Oakton Street towards Niles West High School are approaching construction, and a trail extension from Bunker Hill to the North Branch Trail will break ground in 2023. These projects demonstrate the Village of Niles’ prioritization on the pedestrian and bicyclist experience in Niles.

Cleveland Corridor Crossings The intersections of Cleveland and Waukegan, and Cleveland and Caldwell have been identified as high-priority locations for bicycle and pedestrian safety enhancements.

Plans for improvements at these intersections go back to 2010.

The Village obtained IDOT design approval and was awarded federal funding for a project in 2015, and the improvement was slated for construction at the end of the Cleveland sewer job in 2017, but

IDOT rescinded the design approval in 2016 due to changes in their standards.

Eligibility requirements can be found on the Village website under the Business & Development section.

Over the past two years, residents filed a petition for a traffic signal, the Village prepared a traffic signal warrant study, and IDOT reviewed the study and determined a traffic signal was not warranted at either location. Subsequently, the Village explored other options to optimize these crossings, including a refuge island and flashing beacons being added to the existing roadway layout. IDOT then required left turn lanes be added to this proposed solution. The design with left turn lanes was reviewed by the Village’s Bike and Pedestrian Plan Advisory Group (BPAG), which supported the widening at Caldwell, but felt the impacts were too high at Waukegan and defeated the purpose of the pedestrian improvement.

Police Department Initiatives

The Caldwell and Cleveland design went through three successive design revisions with IDOT and is close enough to a final concept that it is ready for final design. Waukegan and Cleveland is now being studied for a road diet (reconfiguration of the road, which would involve reduction in lanes and is also subject to IDOT approval), and has been separated from the Caldwell crossing in an effort to not delay both improvements.

Façade & Streetscape Improvement/Beautification Program The Façade and Streetscape Improvement Grant Program provides financial assistance for the design and construction of façade improvements in the Village’s five TIF Districts that are consistent with the Village Comprehensive Plan. This program is a public/ private partnership designed to provide incentives and assistance to encourage building improvements that preserve the character of the Village and that help create a human scale and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere within the Village.

The Niles Police Department (NPD) takes an active role in supporting the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

In 2021, the NPD tied for 1st place in the Illinois Traffic Safety Challenge (ITSC) for Municipal 51-65 sworn.

The NPD also won the first place Bike/Pedestrian safety specialty award. NPD also hosted the inaugural “Walk and Roll Niles” event.

The Niles sworn Bicycle Unit went from 11 members in 2019 to 20 members in 2020 and the CSO Bicycle Unit was comprised of 8 members. These units were deployed from June to October of 2021, being deployed at least 40 times solely on bicycle patrol.

The Cyclist Safety Action Plan was conducted by the Niles Police Department to reduce cyclist versus vehicle accidents within the Village of Niles. In 2020, there were 1,434 motor vehicle accidents, of those 9 were involving bicyclists. That puts the Village of Niles at 0.627% which is below the 1% state average (IDOT Crash Review Facts and Statistics) for 2020. The NPD continues to focus its efforts on educating and also identified additional signage to recommend to the Village.

The Niles Police Department completed the yearlong grant for pedestrian and bike safety, showing significant crash reduction in the process. There were eight bicycle/ pedestrian crashes from October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, while the annual average for the past five years has been 27.6 crashes per year.

There were only five injury crashes when the five-year average was 25.1 annually. There were no fatalities when the five-year average showed 1.6 annually. Proactive efforts of the Department are making a difference in the community.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 17

Art, Music & Culinary Experiences Bring People Together

RELATED CORE VALUES

Foster Community Identity Marketing and Communication

Public Arts and Culture Council Local Grants The Village of Niles Arts & Culture Advisory Council assists the Village in fostering arts and culture in the community by supporting the people and organizations that create artistic and cultural experiences that are open to all residents and visitors and benefit the Niles community. Annually, The Council awards up to $5,000 for project grants. Individuals or groups are invited to participate and take advantage of this opportunity.

Cultural Events 2021 St. Haralambos Big Greek Food Fest (July) Maria SS. Lauretana Italian Festival (Labor Day)

Painted recplicas of the Leaning Tower of Niles can be found throughout town as part of the latest Arts & Culture initiative.

Annual Contests Halloween Home-Decorating Contest Twinkle and Lights Holiday Decorating Contest

Events and Celebrations Celebrating our community with events, holiday traditions and cultural experiences brings people together, fosters community pride and builds positive relations between neighbors and neighborhoods.

Cultural events give opportunities to share ideas, embrace different heritages, learn new customs and embrace our diversity for a safer, welcoming and more viable Village.

Annual events show the importance of traditions and build Niles’ identity and brand as a community that values art, music, food, family and neighbors.

18 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Chicago Korean Hansik Food Festival (August) St. John Brebeuf Oktoberfest (September)

Niles Events and Experiences 2021 Arbor Day Ceremony (virtual event in 2021) Memorial Day Ceremony (175 guests) Concerts in the Park (250 guests average per evening) 4th of July Parade (10,000 spectators/64 parade units) Walk & Roll Niles (500 guests) Fire Department Open House and Pancake Breakfast (600 guests/967 pancakes flipped) Public Works Open House (700 Guests/600 hot dogs served) Veterans Day Ceremony (150 guests) Holly Jolly Fest (3,000 guests)

At Our Table - Celebrating Our Diversity Through Food and Family Niles At Our Table photo project (above) celebrates the heritage and culinary art of local residents through photography and is shared throughout the community. This photo exhibit explores different cultures through home-cooked dishes that bring families together and carry on ethnic traditions.

Photos highlight stories of all different people, cooking and baking all different foods.

Leaning Tower Replicas In 2021, in partnership with the Niles Chamber of Commerce, 19 artists designed mini replicas of the Leaning Tower of Niles, each with a unique design and located at businesses throughout the Village. Guided by the Village’s Arts & Culture Master Plan, Niles is a growing hub for muralists, painters, sculptors and musicians to express themselves and make their mark.

The 20 mini Leaning Towers are symbols of Niles’ pride, creativity and culture.

Economic Impact Arts and culture contribute to local and regional economies, generating jobs and spending, attracting tourists, and making places attractive to businesses and their employees.

Infrastructure Police Garage A new parking structure (pictured below) for Niles Police Department squad vehicles was completed in FY2022. The garage features ample space for the Department’s fleet, along with modern security for access, a dedicated space for animal control, and a car wash.

A ribbon cutting was held on September 27, 2021.

The Greenwood Stormwater Basin Project as it appeared in December 2021. To the left is the newly constructed stormwater basin. To the right, underground stormwater storage is being installed.

Greenwood Stormwater Basin Project

Howard Street This multi-year project combined important utility improvements with a roadway diet to deter heavy industrial traffic, added new bike lanes, and created an enhanced North Branch Trail crossing with flashing beacons.

The improvements made this a more bike and pedestrian friendly corridor. The project included street light installation, traffic signal replacement, landscaping work, and more. Work was substantially completed in July 2021, with a ribbon cutting held on November 1, 2021.

This stormwater control project, located at the site of the former bank building at 9101 Greenwood, broke ground in October 2021. The project consists of a stormwater basin near Greenwood Avenue, underground stormwater storage, open space for events, the reconstruction of Church Street from Greenwood to Cumberland, and storm sewer improvements serving the Courtland Park neighborhood. The mainline storm sewer is complete and the basin and underground storage were constructed near the end of 2021.

The stormwater storage is 100% online providing flood reduction benefits to Courtland Park and Ballard Terrace. Early reports after a wet spring are that the stormwater improvements are working! The project is scheduled for substantial completion in September 2022, with final restoration carrying over into spring 2023.

Ballard Culvert IDOT reconstructed the culvert at Ballard Road located between 8950 and 9000 N. Greenwood Avenue. IDOT performed staged construction of the culvert.

Staggered construction began in May 2021, and extended into the 2022 construction season. IDOT will now resurface Ballard Road from Lee Street to Greenwood Avenue in the summer of 2022.

Milwaukee Streetscape Phase VII of the Streetscape project was for work from Howard Street to Jonquil Terrace. Work took place throughout 2021.

Work included planter boxes, pavement improvements and more, and concluded in fall 2021. The replacement of the east and north crosswalk legs at Howard Street and Milwaukee Avenue with new decorative crosswalks will take place this summer.

A ribbon cutting was held for the Howard Street Improvement Project on November 1, 2021 (pictured above). In addition to reconfiguring the roadway, the project included the addition of an enhanced crossing for bicyclists and pedestrians using the North Branch Trail (pictured at left).

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 19

Infrastructure Four Flaggs Standpipe In FY2022 and FY2023, work was planned to upgrade the standpipe (water tower) behind the Four Flaggs shopping center. This standpipe is a critical feature of the Niles water system. In FY22 an altitude valve building was added to remove the need for confined space entry to service the valve.

In addition, critical water system controls are now better protected from the elements.

Further work has continued into FY2023, including painting, cathodic protection, fencing and site work. As part of the refurbishment, a new paint job recently made its debut featuring the popular “Love Niles” logo.

Look for this bold, cheerful icon the next time you drive down Golf Road or Milwaukee Avenue.

Milwaukee Avenue and Waukegan Road Street Lighting Replacement and Fiber Optic installation As part of this project, new street lights are being installed along Milwaukee Avenue and Waukegan Road in Niles. These fixtures offer aesthetic improvements over the old aging equipment in need of replacement. The majority of new fixtures along Milwaukee Avenue were installed in 2021. A few areas of the project remain to be installed, along with final testing and inspection throughout the project area.

As part of the street lighting project, the Village has also been installing a fiber optic network through the heart of the Village.

Upgrading to this new network will save on operating costs for the Village government, make the Village future-ready, and open the door to smart city operations.

Work is taking place at locations throughout the Village. Fiber installation in the neighborhoods was completed in 2021, and fiber installation along State routes (primarily Milwaukee Avenue) is continuing in 2022. Final connections and testing of the system will soon take place.

Street Resurfacing and Alley Improvements Each year, the Village performs street resurfacing for areas of Niles, based on carefully monitored pavement conditions over time.

The condition of the roads are carefully cross-referenced with any upcoming underground utility projects, so as not to resurface a road only to excavate after completing the work. The scope of work for 2021 included Lexington and Concord Lanes in the Bunker Hill Estates neighborhood, Kirk Drive from Oriole Avenue to Mulford Street, the alley west of Oketo Avenue and north of Monroe Street, the alley north of Oakton Street and west of Milwaukee, and the alley south of Chase and west of Neva Avenue. Available funding also allowed a few additional areas to be resurfaced which were not part of the base scope of work, including the alley to the west of the 8100 block of Milwaukee Avenue.

Left: Hanging baskets with live flowers have been installed on the new streetlights on Milwaukee Avenue.

Right: Road resurfacing takes place on Howard Avenue.

20 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Looking Ahead The following projects are planned for the upcoming fiscal year: • Entrance and roadway signage projects

Rendering of a renovated Touhy Avenue bridge, planned for construction this year.

• Brick crosswalks at Milwaukee and Touhy • Niles Senior Center parking lot

• Nottingham Avenue from south terminus to north terminus

• Exterior work at the Fitness Center

• Fargo Avenue from Waukegan Road to Nordica Avenue

• Gross Point/Touhy intersection project

• Jarvis Avenue from Waukegan Road to east terminus

• Sewer lining

The following streets are planned to be rehabilitated in 2022:

• Neva Avenue from Birchwood Avenue to Oakton Street

• Oakton Multi-Modal Path

• Lyons Street from Callero Drive to Washington Street

• Seward Street from Harlem Avenue to Nora Avenue

• Maryland Street from Loras Lane to Lyons Street

• Nora Avenue from Seward Street to Oakton Court

• Courtland Drive from Lyons Street to north terminus

• Oakton Court from Nora Avenue to Harlem Avenue

• Crain Street from Milwaukee Avenue to Merrill Street

• Alley south of Dempster Street from Harlem Avenue to Shermer Road

RELATED CORE VALUES

Foster Community Identity Marketing and Communication Infrastructure Planning and Funding

• Merrill Street from Greenleaf Street to Crain Street • Oriole Avenue from Greenleaf Street to Dempster Street • Kedzie Street from Ottawa Avenue to Oriole Avenue • Ottawa Avenue from Kedzie Street to Lee Street • Oleander Avenue from Kedzie Street to Greenleaf Street • Main Street from Oleander Avenue to Oketo Avenue

• Greenleaf sewer repair project

• North Branch Trail connection

by Bunker Hill • Refurbishment of the Oakton/ Caldwell overpass • Golf/Milwaukee/Greenwood pedestrian improvements on the horizon • Touhy Avenue bridge

• Alley north of Oakton Street from Merrill Street to Ozanam Avenue • Alley east of Merrill Street from Oakton Street to Keeney Street • Alley east of Milwaukee Avenue from Grennan Place to north terminus • Alley north of Albion Avenue from Newcastle Avenue to Normandy Avenue.

A summer 2022 quarry workers strike affected construction throughout the northern Illinois region. Fiscal Year 2022 construction projects are subject to change or delay as a result.

Artist’s rendering of a decorative pillar, part of the Touhy Avenue bridge renovations.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 21

Police 2021 in Review The Niles Police Department (NPD) hired a full-time in-house Police Social Worker. The NPD Social Worker is certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and certified to instruct State-mandated Mental Health Awareness and Officer Wellness training.

NPD hired a full-time Management Analyst/Accreditation Manager. This job function identifies policies that needed to be updated. ILEAP Tier II Accreditation was received on March 1, 2022.

This year, the Village celebrated the addition of K-9 Deuce to the NPD family.

The NPD and NFD participated in the Special Olympics Illinois Plane Pull Event at O’Hare Airport and won 1st place in the Public Safety Division and overall division. There was $2,000 that was raised in this event and $11,643 total for Special Olympics Illinois athletes.

The Niles Police Department created the “Choose your ride, don’t drink and drive” campaign, with both an education component and an enforcement component.

As part of the education portion, NPD “wrapped” unique graphics onto a Crown Victoria: half as a police car, and half as a taxi cab.

This vehicle conveys the message that those who have been drinking should call a taxi to get home — instead of risking arrest or danger to themselves or others. The vehicle is displayed in front of the Police Department in addition to being present at certain events.

In addition, the NPD is partnering with the Niles Chamber, Village Liquor Commissioner, and local liquor establishments to promote this campaign (pictured below).

The NPD raised $1,703 for Advocate Lutheran General Caldwell Breast Center by selling pink NPD patches.

Niles team members competed at the Special Olympics Illinois Plane Pull Event at O’Hare Airport.

NPD hosted numerous events such as Coffee for Champions, Walk like MADD, Walk and Roll Niles, Shop with a Cop, and Operation Santa and attended numerous events such as the 4th of July parade, Italian Fest, Halloween Parade, Harvest Hustle 5K, and Holly Jolly.

The NPD School Resource Officer completed 114 presentations.

The Niles Police Department benefits from a number of grant programs.

Approximately $5,427.50 was issued to NPD in 2021 for 50% of ballistic vest purchases, with the remaining funds carrying over to following years. NPD also received a $3,300 grant to conduct compliance checks on tobacco sales, $3,000 from Wal-Mart’s Local Community Grant for Shop with a Cop and Operation Santa, and an IDOT STEP Grant in the amount of $58,140 so officers could conduct traffic enforcement during holiday campaigns.

22 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

The 2021 Walk and Roll Niles event included a bicycle safety town experience.

Fire The Niles Fire Department continues to work with its dispatch center (RED Center) to improve how the Fire Department responds to emergency incidents. Both the dispatch center and Fire Department are upgrading their radios to digital technology, which will improve communications while working at emergency incidents.

An aspiring Niles firefighter gets an upclose look at NFD equipment while visiting Fire Station #2.

2021 in Review Niles paramedics provided COVID vaccines to thousands of local residents, as well as supported COVID clinics in Niles held by Jewel-Osco.

The Niles Fire Department (NFD) submitted multiple FEMA, State and local grants. This included several grants for COVID-related reimbursements. The COVID grants and reimbursements are ongoing.

Niles was awarded over $200,000 towards the purchase of firefighter breathing apparatus.

The NFD continued its Community Risk Reduction (public education and fire prevention) efforts, even though COVID made it difficult to conduct public education events. CPR and Fire Extinguisher training were conducted, with safety measures in place. The Fire Department utilized social media as a means to share public service announcements, like fire safety tips, fire prevention week with the schools, and ‘virtual’ fire station tours. As the pandemic conditions improved, the Fire Department safely implemented in-person programs, including an in-person open house.

The Fire Department acquired, trained and is utilizing new e-hydraulic extrication equipment on vehicle extrications and entrapment incidents. This new equipment allows for very quick deployment at emergencies.

The Fire Department received reimbursement revenue of $1,205,877 from Illinois as part of the Ground Emergency Medical Transport (GEMT) Program. This revenue was split with the State, for an overall revenue to Niles of $602,938.68.

The Department acquired a new cardiac monitor and defibrillator for EMS incidents.

The Niles Fire Department supports the annual Toys for Tots initiative.

Smart 911 The NFD, in conjunction with the Regional Emergency Dispatch Center, has recently implemented a Smart911 System that allows residents to create a safety profile which will be visible to the 9-1-1 Alarm Operator when calling 9-1-1.

Niles firefighters at the site of a structure fire, exiting the building after completing carefully orchestrated procedures to ensure the fire has not spread to other parts of the building.

Residents can put relevant medical information, emergency contacts, medications and/or allergies, utility shutoff locations, etc. which is then linked to their phone number(s).

This important information will then be relayed to the Fire Department in real-time so that they can provide the best possible care and follow your wishes and directives in the event of an emergency.

Smart911 is a national program which means that your information travels with you and is visible to any participating dispatch agency nation-wide. Creating a Smart911 Safety Profile is quick, easy, and free and can be completed through their website, www.smart911.com, or via their mobile app. Please feel free to contact District Chief Guerino or Lieutenant Schachtel at (847) 5886800 with any questions regarding the program.

This system is also connected with Rave Alert, the provider for the Village’s emergency alerts and automated phone calls, so you may already have a Smart911 profile from signing up for Village alerts! If you are new to the Smart911 system, be sure to look for the option to add Village of Niles alerts when registering to ensure you continue to receive important notifications from the Village.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 23

Mayor Alpogianis unveiled the concept site plans for the Golf Mill Town Center redevelopment at the Niles Chamber of Commerce and Industry State of the Village Luncheon on January 27, 2022 at Lone Tree Manor. The Sterling Organization (owners of Golf Mill Town Center) and Village staff have collaborated over the past year to finalize the concept site plan for the property. The concept site plans and renderings represent the culmination of regular meetings with the developer and their architects.

The master-planned, mixed-use development will feature new retail and restaurant facilities, public gathering spaces, water features, attractive landscaping, a pedestrian promenade, Golf Mill Park, a new water mill, approximately 300 luxury apartments, and a total mixed-use environment. The Golf Mill Town Center redevelopment as currently proposed is an over $400 million phased redevelopment that will create nearly 500 permanent jobs and over 950 construction jobs.

RELATED CORE VALUES

Foster Community Identity Diversified Economic Development Marketing and Communication Infrastructure Planning and Funding Financial Stability and Transparency

Conceptual rendering of the new Golf Mill Town Center, including retail, dining and a water feature, along with new apartments in the background.

24 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 25

A Community that Cares RELATED CORE VALUES

Foster Community Identity Marketing and Communication

Niles is a community that cares about all of its residents. The Village government invests in above-and-beyond human services divisions— services that set Niles apart from surrounding communities. Niles Family Services, the Niles Senior Center, Niles Teen Center, and Niles Family Fitness Center enhance the lives of Niles neighbors.

The Niles Spring Clean Up event is an intergenerational event that brings the community together to make a positive impact.

Niles Family Services coordinates an annual coat drive to give back to those in need in the community.

Niles Family Services

contributions supporting the ongoing efforts of the Department to assist the community where it is most needed. NFS received $37,666 in financial donations during FY22, along with $105,114 worth of in-kind donations. The Department was overwhelmed and overjoyed by the support that was received.

During FY22, the Family Services department continued to provide essential services to the community through the challenges of the pandemic. Demand for services continued and the Department continued to meet the challenge.

It was another year of unprecedented support and collaboration with the community.

Family Services saw many individuals, local organizations, and businesses rise to the challenge of helping each other out, with food donations, clothing and coat donations, and financial

26 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Other highlights of the year for Niles Family Services included the implementation of marijuana education Initiatives for middle school students in District 63 and District 71 through the Engage Program, and the distribution of Christmas gifts to over 200 kids

and over 25 adopted families for the holidays, along with over 100 ham dinners and 100 turkey dinners distributed at Thanksgiving.

Niles Senior Center The Niles Senior Center provides active and engaging programs for seniors living in and near the Niles area. From day trips and delicious dinners, to concerts and comradery, the Niles Senior Center is a beloved organization offering exceptional service to the community.

Throughout Fiscal Year 2022, the Senior Center developed COVID policies to safely return to in-person programming.

The Niles Teen Center provides a space for local students to gather with peers, in addition to a wide array of programs and activities.

Revamping the aquatics schedule at the Niles Family Fitness Center led to increased times and revenues in FY22.

Recently, the Niles Senior Center began a new partnership with Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois. This allows the Senior Center to continue the Meals on Wheels service, but in a more efficient manner with lower cost to tax payers and less strain on personnel resources. Meals are prepared Monday through Saturday (including holidays) in the Evanston kitchen and delivered with the help of volunteer meal delivery drivers.

Niles Senior Center became a pick-up spot for Niles volunteers in February. The program provides meal support for seniors on fixed incomes who are struggling to pay for housing, medicine, and food.

Meal fees are based on a sliding scale based on monthly income.

To register for meals, or to volunteer, please call (847) 332-2678 or visit www.mealsonwheelsnei.org.

Niles Teen Center The Niles Teen Center provides a wide range of programs and activities to support local teens including:

• Daily homework assistance

• Weekly craft/cooking projects

• Weekly table game or video game tournaments

• Weekly check-in sessions with social workers

• Monthly movie nights

Niles Family Fitness Center In FY22, the Niles Family Fitness Center worked hard to manage ever-changing COVID mitigations, keeping members healthy, fit and safe. Village and Fitness Center leadership also worked to update the Fitness Center’s rates and fees, ensuring continued fiscal stability while remaining competitive with other fitness centers in the area.

• Monthly recreational trips

Niles parks for barbecue, games, the chance to meet public safety personnel and more.

• Cooperative events with Golf Mill Shopping Center, Maine East High School, and Niles-Maine District Library

• Fitness Center enhanced their virtual exercise studios (technology) • Revamped aquatics schedule to increase times and revenues

• Fitness Center remodeled kitchen

• Participation in Village-wide events like the 4th of July Parade

Other highlights from FY22 for the Niles Family Fitness Center include:

• Biannual dances for middle school students

• Painting/improvements to benches, garbage cans and curb appeal at Fitness Center • Made repairs/replacements to HVAC system

In FY22, the Teen Center worked with the Village’s marketing firm, a5, to develop new branding for the Teen Center. The Teen Center also created the Teen Sports Brigade program at the Niles Park District.

The Teen Center had a presence at

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 27

Marketing Initiatives

The Village of Niles has continued the Love Niles campaign to market moving to Niles and build community. Named a Top Town

by Chicago Parent magazine in September 2021, Niles promotes its first-rate schools, welcoming community, access to the city and outdoors and quality Village services.

The Love Niles campaign appears on billboards throughout Chicago as well as in the Village on car magnets, vehicle stickers, bus benches, gateway signage, social media, email, newsletters and more.

28 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

People who live here, love it.

Won’t you join us?

Right outside the city, find lots to love. Discover first-rate schools where every child has the opportunity to succeed. Experience parks, bike trails and plenty of green space right out your front door. Take advantage of the Village’s incentive program that saves you money when you expand your home. And then there are your neighbors. In the Village of Niles, you’ll love meeting your neighbors who care about the community — and you.

LoveNiles.com

2022 Upcoming Calendar

Every Friday June 17 - August 12 Concerts in the Park 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Oak Park at Lee and Ottawa

Friday, Sept 2 – Monday Sept 5 Maria SS Lauretana Italian Festival Golf Mill Town Center/ Golf Mill Park

Saturday, October 15 Park District Harvest Hustle 6:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Notre Dame Parking Lot

Monday, July 4 Independence Day Parade 8:45 a.m. Step Off at Notre Dame Parking Lot

Saturday, September 10 Last Call Art and Music Fest 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Civic Center Plaza

Saturday, October 22 Park District Trunk or Treat 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Oasis Pool Parking Lot

Monday, July 4 Park District Post-Parade Family Fest 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Grennan Heights Park

Saturday, September 17 Public Works Department Open House 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Niles Public Works 6849 W. Touhy Avenue

Saturday, October 29 Park District Halloween Parade 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Grennan Heights

Friday, July 15 – Sunday, July 17 Big Greek Food Fest St. Haralambos Orthodox Church Thursday, August 4 Walk and Roll Safety Event 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Notre Dame Parking Lot

Saturday, September 24 Fire Department Pancake Breakfast 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Fire House 2 8360 W. Dempster Street

Friday, November 11 Veterans Day Ceremony 11:00 a.m.

Niles Veterans Memorial Waterfall Saturday, November 26 Holly Jolly Fest 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Civic Center Plaza

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 29

By the Numbers The Village of Niles Population

30,912

Read on for statistics from each Village department, showing how your tax dollars are being put to work. Except where noted otherwise, these statistics are for the period from May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022 (Fiscal Year 2022).

The results of the 2020 Decennial Census were certified by Secretary of State Jesse White in October 2021.

PUBLIC WORKS

123,966

Village Fleet used:

Pounds of crack sealant used

66,306 Gallons of gasoline

78,051 Gallons of diesel fuel

370

5,416

Light poles installed

Total street sweeping miles

1,065

5,300

76,000

Gallons of oil

Linear feet of storm sewer installed

Linear feet of fiber optic conduit installed

3,905

240 Tires

Feet of sewers lined

4,700,000 Gallons of stormwater detention storage built

476

Trees trimmed by staff

1,924

Trees trimmed by contractor

30 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

182 2,100

540

Basins cleaned

Newly planted trees Cubic yards of leaves hauled

3,382

Tons of salt used

25,435

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

$73,426,525 Total value of construction

1,540

Miles of snow plowed

784 Rental licenses

Permits issued

755

31,807

Code cases

747

Gallons of salt prewetting liquid used

2,930

Number of contractors licenses

45

1,459

Total number of business license/ registrations issued

Zoning applications

Public Works service requests logged

ADMINISTRATION

11,505 Gallons of anti-icing liquid used

678

2,503

8,665

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests

Tons of recycling materials collected in Niles

Tons of refuse collected in Niles

Water Quality Report Please go to www.vniles.com/CCR2022 to view your 2022 Annual Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report). This report contains important information about the source and quality of your drinking water during 2021. To obtain a paper copy of the report, please call (847) 588-7900.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 31

By the Numbers INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (I.T.)

6,000

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Average number of email messages processed per day in FY22

$1,738,182,453

4,000

450

Number of internal I.T. support tickets from Village staff

Number of computing devices in operation daily

NILES POLICE DEPARTMENT

48,330 Calls for service

134

NILES FIRE DEPARTMENT

Structure fires

676 Arrests

793

Number of traffic collisions reported and investigated

9,328 Traffic Citations/ Tickets

24

74 Number of Rescue & EMS calls

DUI arrests

Calls for Animal Control Services

Total retail sales in Niles (calendar year 2021)

Warnings

1,923

Number of other fires

5,285 8,211 Calls responded to

NILES FAMILY FITNESS CENTER

1,606 685 Residents

Total Memberships

921

Non-Residents

7,453 Total number of fitness class participants

NILES SENIOR CENTER

Center of Concern Lunch With Us Program

123

1,909 Lunch boxes

338

9,545

Exercise classes

Total Private/Semi Private Swim Lesson Participants

965 Members

1,194

98

Total Group Swim Lesson Participants

New members since Jan 1, 2022

NILES FAMILY SERVICES

NILES TEEN CENTER

3,499

Total requests for services from the department

2,902

Individuals Teen Center programming presented to:

of counseling clients are seniors

47% 2,111

553

Membership increase during FY22

243

Contacts for crisis assistance

569

Total visits to food pantry

76

6,500 97

Counseling sessions

25%

Medicare appointments

Meal recipients

Frozen meals

1,055

165

Check-ins to the Teen Center

Teen Center first-time guests

Student registrations for Teen Center events in the community

Contacts for assist with homelessness VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 33

Village Finances The Village of Niles provides many outstanding services to the residents and businesses of Niles.

Funding these services responsibly takes diligent work on a daily

basis. The following pages include important financial details about the Village’s operations and how they are funded. It all adds up to high quality of life for residents

and a commercial experience that is second to none. Here is just the beginning of what the Village provides throughout the year:

Government Access TV New Businesses

Clean Water Roads

Sidewalk Improvements Streetscape Improvements

Utility Billing

Code Inspection Welcoming Neighborhoods Maintenance

Tree Sewers Police Department

Teen Center Community Events Public Safety

Infrastructure

Fire Department Stormwater Management

Family Fitness Center

Public Works Senior Center Administration Family Services Free Bus Resources for Veterans

TY20 Property Tax Levy Distribution (TY21 Rates for Village of Niles) The Village of Niles is only one component of your property tax bill.

The illustration here shows the other taxing bodies and the proportion that each contributes to the total amount you pay. (Note: TY21 rates with abatement are shown for the Village of Niles, while TY20 rates with abatement are shown for other taxing bodies, since those are the most recent figures available).

Schools 72%

Other 18%

Village 10%

Source: Cook County Clerk

10%

of a resident’s property tax bill goes to the Village of Niles. Much of the Village’s portion is used to make State-mandated payments towards Police and Fire pension funds.

34 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

RELATED CORE VALUES

Diversified Economic Development Infrastructure Planning and Funding Financial Stability and Transparency

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? Property Tax Property tax is a tax assessed on real estate. The tax is based on the value of the property (including the land) you own and is assessed by the County. A municipal tax levy is the total tax collected from all property owners in order to fund Village services and amenities. As a home rule community, the Village does not have a tax rate limit.

Accordingly, the actual tax rate is dependent upon the dollar amount of taxes levied and the equalized assessed valuation (“EAV”) of property within the Village. Ten percent (10%) of a resident’s annual property tax bill goes to the Village, taking into consideration the Tax Year 2021 (TY21) abatement detailed later on this page. The Village uses this amount to partially fund debt service payments, the Village’s required employee public safety pension fund contributions, roads, and garbage collection. No other Village services, expenses, or salaries are funded using property tax dollars.

Source: Village of Niles property tax levy

Niles Sales Tax The Village collects a one percent (1.00%) sales tax on most retail sales, as well as a one and a quarter percent (1.25%) home rule sales tax on most non-titled retail sales.

Debt/GO Bonds General Obligation (G.O.) bonds and installment contracts are debt instruments issued by local governments to raise funds for a variety of purposes. This G.O. debt is backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing municipality. Village practice is to issue G.O. debt to fund specific, one-time capital projects when current operating revenues and/or available fund balances are not sufficient to cover the cost of the project. The Village also takes out low-interest Illinois EPA (IEPA) revolving loans, which are based upon revenue receipts and are not G.O. backed, to fund water, sanitary sewer, or stormwater projects.

WHERE DOES IT ALL GO? In Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) the Village and the public safety pension plans received $14,287,853.

In order to ensure funding of State-mandated pensions and ensure intergenerational equity, the Village Board decided to increase the public safety pension levies in Tax Year 2021 (TY21) to fully fund the actuarially recommended contribution to the pensions on

an annual basis. Eighty percent (80%) of the resulting TY21 Village total extended property tax levy of $13,944,447 goes to fund those Village police and fire pension contributions. Subsequently, due to the difficult economic conditions for businesses and residents, the Village Board in 2022 used fund balance to abate $1.8 million dollars for Tax Year 2021 (TY21), thus reducing for one year the property taxes levied on Niles property owners.

In Illinois, non-internet-based Sales Taxes are allocated back to the community where the sale occurred. A good indicator of local economic health is the trend in these retail sales and the Sales Taxes that are generated. Net total Sales Tax receipts (all funds) on food and general merchandise collected by the State of Illinois in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2021 was $27,600,645, 3.97% higher than in the prior year. This increase started in March 2021 due to an increase in inflation and the return of customers to in-person shopping and continues to be reflected in FY22. Excluding Chicago, Niles ranks in the top fifteen among all Illinois communities in retail sales tax volume.

Fees collected through utility billing fund most of the operations of the water, sewer, and storm water utilities. In FY21, the Village received $9,771,393 from these utility billing fees.

Source: Village of Niles FY21 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)

The Village’s public safety pension contributions are required by the State of Illinois. The State requires that all pension systems be fully funded by 2040.

Source: Illinois Department of Revenue and Melaniphy & Associates, Inc.

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 35

Debt Comparison This chart illustrates debt for Niles and some nearby communities.

The orange portion of the bar includes the municipality’s direct debt, like general obligation bonds, and the blue portion of the bar includes retiree benefit debt, specifically pension debt. The horizontal gray bar is the average level of combined debt among all these communities. Numbers shown are per capita, taking into account the population of each municipality.

“Retiree Benefit Debt” means obligations to Police and Fire pensions, as mandated by the State of Illinois.

As you can see, Niles has relatively little direct debt, but its overall debt level is higher due to the size of the Village’s pension liability — the funding of which is mandated by the State of Illinois.

Direct Debt and Net Retiree Benefit Debt Per Capita from Nearby Municipalities (Niles data is FY21. Other municipalites reflect FY20 data, the most recent data available). $5,000

$4,500

$4,000

$3,500

$3,000

$2,500

$2,000

$1,500

$1,000

$500

$0

Des Plaines

Morton Grove

Direct Debt Per Capita Retiree Benefit Debt Per Capita Average Retiree Plus Direct Debt 36 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Mount Prospect

Niles

Park Ridge

Skokie

Wheeling

Sources: City of Des Plaines Audit; Village of Morton Grove Audit; Village of Mount Prospect Audit; Village of Niles Audit; City of Park Ridge Audit; Village of Skokie Audit; Village of Wheeling Audit

Fiscal Year Sales Tax State Sales Tax Distribution for Village of Niles (By Fiscal Year) $31,000,000 $29,000,000 $27,000,000 $25,000,000 $23,000,000 $21,000,000 $19,000,000 $17,000,000 $15,000,000

2012

2013

2014

The graph above depicts fiscal year distributions of Retailer’s Occupation Tax, Service Occupation Tax, and Use Tax for the Village of Niles. Occupation tax is the formal name for Sales Tax, while Use Tax is mostly a form of sales tax that applies to online and out-of-state sales. Therefore, this graph is a combination of the Village’s State

2015

2016

2017

2018

and local sales tax components.

You can see, for instance, when the Village enacted a 1.25% home rule sales tax in July of 2012. It shows up as the jump from 2012 to 2013. The other notable increase here is the most recent year change of 2020 to 2021. That reflects the generally strong retail sales environment nationwide throughout FY21. As

2019

2020

2021

Niles has a strong sales tax profile that includes a variety of large retailers, it is no surprise that our sales tax activity improved in that time frame. Village staff expect similarly strong performance through FY22.

Sources: Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) and Village of Niles FY21 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

Ratio of Bonded Debt Ratio of Net General Obligation Bonded Debt to Assessed Value 2.00% 1.50% 1.00% 0.50%

1.18% 0.51%

0.46%

0.43%

1.00%

0.93%

2020

2021

0.30% 0.21%

0.11%

0.01%

2016

2017

2018

0.00%

2012

2013

2014

This line graph shows the Village’s General Obligation Bond debt as a percentage of its total Assessed Value Village-wide. The Village of Niles’ Net General Obligation Bond debt at the close of fiscal year 2021 was $13,472,000. That debt amount compared to the Assessed Value of $1,446,575,000 creates a ratio of 0.93%. The Village’s net GO debt, in other words, is equal to about 0.93% of its assessed value.

2015

For comparison’s sake, that’s sort of like having a $3,255 mortgage on a $350,000 home.

Most of the Village’s debt, however, lies in retiree benefit debt. Net Pension Liability is $106,503,204, and OPEB liability (Other Post Employment Benefits) is $5,004,240. Together that totals $124,979,444. By adding that number to the Village’s Gross

2019

General Obligation Bond debt from earlier, the debt to EAV ratio increases to 8.6%. The Village is taking proactive steps — even difficult ones — to ensure we responsibly address pension obligations.

Sources: Village of Niles Debt Schedules; Village of Niles FY21 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 37

Fiscal Year 2023 Budget The Fiscal Year 2023 budget includes approximately $95,036,565 million in expenditures and $99,351,026 million in revenues. With internal transfers included, the amounts are $116.6 million for expenditures and $121.4 million for revenues.

The Fiscal Year 2023 budget goals are to maintain a high quality level of services, minimize the financial burden on Niles taxpayers, identify cost efficiencies and opportunities, fund fully all actuarially determined pension contributions, continue implementation of the Niles 2030 Comprehensive Plan, develop a formal Capital Improvement Plan, strengthen economic vitality and enhance community character and identity, and maintain, rebuild, and enhance the Village’s infrastructure.

There are several important highlights for the budget this year. The FY23 Operating budget represents an estimated $1.5 million reduction compared to FY22, without reduction in core services.

Many of the individual budget adjustments were achieved through an updated budget review process.

For FY23, the Village implemented a much more robust Capital Improvement Plan, separated from the budget to a more substantial degree. In prior years, capital costs

38 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

were mixed into the budget under a series of different object codes. That made capital spending comparison across years challenging. The budgeting and annual comparison of those amounts will improve in future years as the Village continues to utilize the new CIP format. The CIP identifies just over $19 million in projects budgeted for FY23, which are present across a variety of funds, including the Capital Projects Fund, Water Fund, and even Fitness Fund. That also means the money funding each project is varied. General Fund money is used on many of the projects, but grants like the American Rescue Plan Act will also provide significant funding this year.

Additionally, changes to the public safety pension funding structure, in correspondence with changes to Village’s Property Tax levy structure, mean that there were significant decreases to interfund transfers from the General Fund to the Public Safety Pension funds.

Revenue 0n the revenue side of things, some highlights in the FY23 budget are sales tax, property tax, and ambulance fees. Property Tax revenues within the General Fund have decreased to $0 because almost all of the property tax levy now directly flows to the police and fire pension funds. The State and local sales tax components are budgeted to see increases of $1.14 million and $2.06 million, respectively. The large increases are due primarily to a strong economy among the Village’s sales tax profile, but also in part to inflation. Ambulance billing fees are budgeted to increase by $925,000 due to both increased utilization and the Village’s participation in a statewide cost-sharing agreement to increase Medicaid reimbursements when patients utilize ambulance services, which is a boon for Niles residents and to payers.

Source: Village of Niles FY23 Budget

FY23 Budget Expenditures

by Category

FY23 Budget Revenue

by Category

Category

Amount

Capital Outlays

$22,370,185

Commodities

$11,173,297

Contractual

$9,944,409

Debt Service

$2,234,881

Other

$3,459,845

Employee Salary & Benefits

$45,853,947

Category

Amount

Sales Tax

$29,696,811

Other Taxes

$14,751,019

Property Tax

$16,631,262

Charges for Services

$11,703,285

Licenses, Fees & Fines

$8,558,546

Grants & Reimbursements

$5,927,363

Interest

$723,740

Miscellaneous

$759,000

Loan Proceeds

$10,600,000

Source: Village of Niles FY23 Budget VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 39

Net Position Table

The financial information on pages 40-43 includes data from the Village’s FY21 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). This first table on pages 40 and 41 summarizes the Village of Niles’ assets and liabilities. You can view the full ACFR document on the Village’s website, www.vniles.com.

“Business-Type Activities” includes Enterprise Funds, which in our case includes only the Water Fund.

Governmental Activities includes the following funds: General, Municipal Waste, Milwaukee Touhy, Capital Projects, Street and Bridge, Foreign Fire Insurance, Fitness Center, Motor Fuel Tax, DUI, Drug Asset Forfeiture, Article 36 Asset Forfeiture, Federal Equity Share, Gross Point Touhy TIF, Oakton Waukegan TIF, Milwaukee Harlem TIF, Milwaukee Oakton TIF, Milwaukee Dempster TIF, Debt Service.

2020 Governmental Activities

2021 Governmental Activities

2020 Business-type Activities

2021 Business-type Activities

2020 Total

2021 Total

Cash and cash equivalents

$47,422,328

$41,462,486

$7,118,561

$10,743,658

$54,540,889

$52,206,144

Investments

$2,822,100

$283,885

$1,835,324

—

$4,657,424

$283,885

Receivables

$4,216,121

$7,500,937

$4,716,674

$3,900,718

$8,932,795

$11,401,655

Inventory

—

—

$23,618

$24,098

$23,618

$24,098

Due from other governments

$7,100,485

$9,984,228

—

—

$7,100,485

$9,984,228

Other assets

$(4,272,738)

$60,494

$4,272,738

$688,770

—

$749,264

Net pension asset

$538,238

$2,006,592

$405,515

$277,519

$943,753

$2,284,111

Capital assets, not being depreciated

$62,883,810

$72,032,718

$19,142,943

$7,986,872

$82,026,753

$80,019,590

Capital assets being depreciated, net of accumulated depreciation

$41,625,832

$39,874,410

$33,629,246

$44,484,853

$75,255,078

$84,359,263

Total assets

$162,336,176

$173,205,750

$71,144,619

$68,106,488

$233,480,795

$241,312,238

Pensionrelated

$16,276,362

$19,382,296

$239,277

$199,711

$16,515,639

$19,582,007

OPEB-related

$691,085

$611,153

$19,721

$17,440

$710,806

$628,593

Total deferred outflows

$16,967,447

$19,993,449

$258,998

$217,151

$17,226,445

$20,210,600

Total assets and deferred outflows of resources

$179,303,623

$193,199,199

$71,403,617

$68,323,639

$250,707,240

$261,522,838

Assets

Deferred Outflows of Resources

Source: Village of Niles FY21 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report 40 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Liabilities Accounts payable

$1,643,932

$472,765

$952,247

$97,659

$2,596,179

$570,424

Accrued liabilities

$1,038,098

$1,223,246

$66,538

$69,180

$1,104,636

$1,292,426

Claims payable

$1,109,337

$916,329

—

—

$1,109,337

$916,329

Other liabilities

$202,063

$1,479,809

—

—

$202,063

$1,479,809

Customer deposits

—

—

$370,012

$382,716

$370,012

$382,716

Accrued interest payable

$243,573

$229,011

$46,615

$45,198

$290,188

$274,209

Unearned revenue

$336,916

$512,243

$3,167

—

$340,083

$512,243

Due within one year bonds, installment lease/purchase, compensated absences

$2,915,668

$3,039,018

$598,363

$610,941

$3,514,031

$3,649,959

Net pension liability

$114,637,780

$106,503,204

$485,962

—

$115,123,742

$106,503,204

Net OPEB liability

$5,731,714

$4,865,399

$163,563

$138,841

$5,895,277

$5,004,240

Bonds, installment lease/purchase

$14,921,372

$13,754,398

$9,280,742

$8,779,324

$24,202,114

$22,533,722

Total liabilities

$142,780,453

$132,995,422

$11,967,209

$10,123,859

$154,747,662

$143,119,281

Property taxes

$3,708,372

$5,506,716

—

—

$3,708,372

$5,506,716

Pension-related

$5,455,783

$18,401,489

$480,823

$5,936,606

$19,272,762

OPEB-related

—

$639,290

—

$18,243

—

$657,533

Total deferred inflows of resources

$9,164,155

$24,547,495

$480,823

$889,516

$9,644,978

$25,437,011

Total liabilities and deferred inflows of resources

$151,944,608

$157,542,917

$12,448,032

$11,013,375

$164,392,640

$168,556,292

$102,457,654

$97,359,477

$43,001,078

$43,190,983

$145,458,732

$140,550,460

Debt service

$31,711

$31,711

—

—

$31,711

$31,711

Tax increment financing allocation for project areas

$2,413,122

$4,393,089

—

—

$2,413,122

$4,393,089

Public safety

$261,431

$288,371

—

—

$261,431

$288,371

Highways and streets

$610,534

$697,704

—

—

$610,534

$697,704

Unrestricted

$(78,415,437)

$(67,114,070)

$15,954,507

$14,119,281

$(62,460,930)

$(52,994,789)

Total net position

$27,359,015

$35,656,282

$58,955,585

$57,310,264

$86,314,600

$92,966,546

Noncurrent liabilities:

Deferred Inflows of Resources

$871,273

Net Position Net investment in capital assets Restricted for:

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 41

Statement of Activities Table The Statement of Activities Table provides a summary of the Village’s finances, but in a more intuititve sense. The tables on these pages show more clearly the data of “the money coming in and the money going out.”

Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances (Deficit) - Governmental Funds For the Year Ended April 30, 2021 (with Comparative totals for 2020) Total Government Funds 2020

2021

Taxes

$46,613,308

$54,035,656

Licenses and permits

$1,101,541

$801,514

Intergovernmental

$1,633,927

$3,633,240

Charges for services

$4,334,247

$4,470,011

Fines

$759,492

$438,723

Investment income

$852,121

$65,539

Other revenues

$996,057

$948,421

Total Revenues

$56,290,693

$64,393,104

General government

$10,697,618

$10,679,743

Public health and safety

$32,145,568

$32,671,339

Highways and streets

$9,618,273

$9,452,392

Economic development

$3,768,260

$212,681

Culture and recreation

$1,668,890

$1,345,325

$1,492,696

$9,122,694

Principal retirement

$545,250

$480,000

Interest and fees

$632,925

$541,381

Total expenditures

$60,569,480

$64,505,555

Revenues over (under) expenditures before other financing sources (uses)

$(4,278,787)

$(112,451)

Transfers in

$494,292

$3,739,397

Transfers out

$(494,292)

$(3,739,397)

Proceeds from sale of capital assets

$1,388

—

Total other financing sources (uses)

$1,388

—

Net changes in fund balances (deficit)

$(4,277,399)

$(112,451)

Fund balances (deficit), beginning of the year

$52,725,036

$48,447,637

Fund balances (deficit), end of the year

$48,447,637

$48,335,186

Revenues

Expenditures Current

Capital outlay Debt service:

Other financing sources (uses):

Source: Village of Niles FY21 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report 42 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Fund Net Position - Proprietary Funds For the Year Ended April 30, 2021 (With Comparative Totals for Business-type Activities) Business-type Activities

Governmental Activities

Water Fund 2020

Water Fund 2021

Internal Service Funds 2020

Internal Service Funds 2021

Water sales

$15,577,766

$8,592,914

—

—

Water penalties

$179,557

$190,245

—

—

Other charges for services

$811,810

$698,488

—

—

Other services

$321,805

$289,746

$4,411,675

$4,193,651

Total operating revenues

$16,890,938

$9,771,393

$4,411,675

$4,193,651

Administration division

$2,843,914

$2,581,270

—

—

Supply division

$7,108,976

$5,371,283

—

—

Transmission division

$397,027

$395,269

—

—

Sewer division

$558,694

$399,675

—

—

Stormwater relief division

$136,471

$2,953

—

—

Internal service division

—

—

$4,656,220

$4,451,892

Depreciation

$969,970

$844,564

$1,002,111

$1,114,747

Total operating expenses

$12,015,052

$9,595,014

$5,658,331

$5,566,639

Operating Income/(loss)

$4,875,886

$176,379

$(1,246,656)

$(1,372,988)

Sales tax

$902,146

—

—

—

Gain on sale of asset

—

—

$38,721

$3,450

Intergovernmental grant

$2,630

$15,945

$967,390

$876,704

Investment income

$227,481

$7,164

$13,230

$65

Interest expense and fiscal charges

$(231,626)

$(222,884)

$(75,536)

$(58,396)

Total Non-Operating revenues/(expenses)

$900,631

$(199,775)

$943,805

$821,823

Changes in net position

$5,776,517

$(23,396)

$(302,851)

$(551,165)

Net position, beginning of the year, as adjusted

$53,179,068

$57,333,660

$3,286,428

$2,983,577

Net position, end of the year

$58,955,585

$57,310,264

$2,983,577

$2,432,412

Operating Revenues

Operating expenses

Non-operating revenues (expenses):

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 43

Connect With Us Stay informed with the Village of Niles!

Social Media The Village of Niles uses social media as an additional way to deliver timely information to the public. Follow these pages to stay in the know: • Village of Niles on Facebook • Village of Niles on Twitter @vnilesIL

Rave Alert

E-Newsletter

Rave Alert is the Village’s “Reverse 9-1-1” automated phone call system.

During emergencies, the Village can call all subscribers in a matter of minutes to deliver important, timely information. Today, when more and more people rely on cell phones instead of publicly listed landline phones, it’s more important than ever that you opt-in to alerts to receive these emergency calls.

There are also options for text messages and emails. Subscribe at www.vniles.com/alert.

The Village’s biweekly e-newsletter contains more service updates and stories about your community.

Subscribe today at www.vniles.com/ enews for the latest scoop!

• Village of Niles on Instagram • Niles Police Department (IL) on Facebook, and @nilespdIL on Twitter • Niles Fire Department on Facebook • Niles Teen Center on Facebook and Instagram • Niles Senior Center on Facebook

Website: www.vniles.com The Village’s website houses agendas and minutes for Village meetings, along with forms for numerous permit processes. Pay your utility bill online or by direct debit from your bank account.

The Village website is currently undergoing a redesign process, debuting a new look and even more user-friendly features.

• Niles Family Fitness Center on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram YouTube NEW: “See Click Fix” Customer Service Requests This summer, the Village will unveil a new tool to help residents get the most out of government services! See Click Fix is an online tool that lets you submit requests to the Village of Niles and easily track progress. There’s even a mobile app that will let you submit concerns about issues like potholes and code violations from anywhere in town.

44 VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

The Village posts a variety of content to YouTube, including features on special topics from Niles TV, Public Service Announcements for upcoming services and events, and videos from Village events. Search for and subscribe to “Village of Niles,” “Niles Teen Center,” and “Niles Police Department” accounts on YouTube.com to see the latest Niles content.

Niles TV Niles TV can be found in town on Comcast Xfinity channel 6, U-Verse TV channel 99, and streaming at www.vniles.com/NTV. Niles TV originates from Village Hall, and includes live coverage of Board of Trustees meetings, public informational programming, and post-event replays of key speeches and events throughout the year.

Public Meetings and Committees All official Board of Trustees meetings are open to the public and public attendance is encouraged.

Board of Trustees regular meetings typically take place on the fourth Tuesday of the month (November and December dates differ). The Village government also makes extensive use of committees to accomplish official business, and these meetings are also open to the public. Visit the “Government” section of www.vniles.com for more information and to explore participating in a committee.

Always Look for Official Information Remember: Always go to official Village information sources to obtain accurate information about current events and emergencies.

Village of Niles Annual Report: Village Manager: Joseph S. La Margo Public Information Officer/ Communications and Multimedia Coordinator: Mitch Johnson Design: a5 Branding & Digital

VILLAGE OF NILES 2022 ANNUAL REPORT 45

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VILLAGE OF NILES ANNUAL REPORT

Niles makes it possible. An education system that cares about every child. Neighbors that love their community, businesses that deliver every day. A design district focused on home improvement. A government that cares about all its residents. And one magnificent photo op: the Leaning Tower of Niles. twitter.com/VNilesIL facebook.com/villageofniles instagram.com/villageofniles