Annual Ritual: Questions On Elmhurst Consultant Costs

ELMHURST, IL – It's budget time for the Elmhurst City Council, and that means the annual questions about longtime city consultants.

Ken Bartels, who makes $100 an hour for up to $50,000 a year, started with the city in 2009. And Charlie Van Slyke, who receives $120 an hour for up to $99,000, began in 1988, almost four decades ago.

Their pay is scattered among different accounts in the city's budget.

At this week's budget session, Alderman Jacob Hill questioned the $12,000 designated for Bartels in the Elmhurst History Museum's budget.

Despite many planned budget cuts for next year, Bartels' pay remains the same.

Hill was told that Bartels helps with fundraising, sponsorships and membership. The museum's foundation chips in for the consultant.

Hill asked for the city to provide more information at a later meeting.

"I appreciate the work that you do," he told the museum's director. "I only ask these questions because I'm trying to avoid a property tax increase."

Last year, the council voted 11-2 to hike Van Slyke's pay to $120 an hour, from $110. But his hours were limited to 825, rather than 900, meaning his overall pay would stay the same if he worked the maximum.

His last raise was in 2015. He focuses on real estate issues.

Mayor Scott Levin and other aldermen have defended the consultants' pay.

The dissenters in last year's vote were aldermen Michael Bram and Rex Irby. Hill, who has questioned consultants' costs before, voted with the majority.