Levy increase, Lake Ave. project, affordable housing update: A snapshot of the Village of Wilmette’s 2025

Wilmette’s Village Board of Trustees took steps toward the new year during its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

First, the final stride in the approval of Wilmette’s 2025 budget is now complete. 

Wilmette trustees unanimously approved an ordinance adopting the village’s 2024 tax levy, which represents a 2.3% increase to Wilmette taxpayers, as previously reported by The Record.

The increase equals $50 more per year for the average Wilmette taxpayer, according to the village.

The approved levy accounts for $491,000 more than last year’s total and $21.8 million in total, which according to village documents includes $11.9 million for general operating, $2.7 million for the police pension levy, $3.4 million for the firefighters’ pension and $3.6 million for debt service. 

Melinda Molloy, the village’s finance director, said the majority of the property tax levy increase will be allocated toward Wilmette’s public safety pension funds. 

She said this will be the fourth consecutive year that Wilmette’s property tax levy is under 3 percent. The 2024 increase was 2.94%, while in 2023 the levy actually decreased.

Wilmette officials first detailed the town’s 2025 budget during a preliminary review in early October. 

2025 lookahead

With the final days of 2024 winding down, Wilmette officials did more to prepare for 2025, preparing for a “busy” next year ahead. 

Village Manager Michael Braiman presented trustees on Dec. 10 with a tentative schedule of major initiatives that will likely come before the board during 2025. 

Braiman described the breakdown as a “good starting point for the board and the community to understand what our plan is heading into 2025.” 

“We’ve had a busy 2024 and as you’ll see in our calendar that is not going to stop — we’re going to have a busy start to 2025,” he added. 

The first quarter of next year will see the development of two public safety initiatives, Braiman said. The first will be a discussion of police staffing and recommendations from staff to add to Wilmette’s sworn officer and social worker capacity. Review of the topic has gone through the public safety subcommittee and will be presented to the Village Board. 

Wilmette will also continue “working feverishly on our new police station project,” Braiman said. Three check-ins are planned with the board in the early part of next year, as previously reported by The Record. 

Several meetings are anticipated for an improvement project on Lake Avenue, per Braiman, who said Wilmette received a $5 million grant to update Lake Avenue from Green Bay to Sheridan Road. 

Officials will particularly contemplate changes to the “difficult,” five-way intersection at Wilmette and Lake avenues. 

A review of historic preservation incentives and a budget reserve policy review are also anticipated during the first quarter. 

The second quarter of 2025 will likely include a review of a new affordable housing plan. Wilmette’s Housing Commission is working on crafting a new plan, which is almost ready to present to the administration committee for review, Braiman said. 

Parking related to Northwestern University is also expected to be a topic of discussion. 

Wilmette recently implemented permanent parking restrictions for high-attendance Northwestern basketball games. The village hopes to bring residents and the transportation commission together after this basketball season to review how the restrictions went and discuss continuing and potentially expanding them. 

A review of the Ridge Road corridor could be on the village’s docket in the third quarter of next year, according to Braiman. Officials are also expected to continue the town’s review of lead service line replacements during the second-half of the year. 

Braiman concluded that the fourth quarter of 2025 will, as always, devote significant time to budget discussions. 

Although the board’s slate is already well stocked for next year, officials are eager to give residents a glimpse of what’s ahead. 

“I think this is great to get this out before the end of the year so we have a snapshot to get excited about what’s coming in the next year,” Village President Senta Plunkett said.

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