The Glen Ellyn Village Board passed nearly $300,000 in tax levies and discussed a possible conflict of interest at Monday's board meeting.

The tax levies, amounting to $293,081, will be used to defer the costs of having firefighting services in unincorporated Glen Ellyn districts and to continue paying back a state loan to improve a sewage system in the Lambert Farms subdivision.

Acting Finance Director Larry Noller said $104,018, a 2.3 percent increase, would be levied for Glen Ellyn Special Service Area 18 while $93,063, a 6.4 increase, will be for Glen Ellyn Special Area 19. Noller said these levies defray the village's costs of running the Glen Ellyn volunteer Fire Company and other emergency services in these unincorporated areas.

These levy amounts were based off total audited costs of fire services of $1,540,027 for fiscal year 2010 and the service areas, which add up to 12.79 percent according to Noller. Overall, it is a 4.2 percent raise from last year.

Glen Ellyn Special Service Area 12 will be levied $96,000 to help pay back a low interest Illinois Environmental Protection Agency loan from Illinois. The loan updated the sewage system from a septic system in the Lambert neighborhood.

The loan cost approximately $1.5 million and is in the fifth year of a 20-year repayment plan. 

The board also discussed a possible conflict of interest. Director of Planning & Development Staci Hulseberg said she recommended building inspector Michael Morange to be appointed on the Building Board of Appeals.

She said Morange has a great ethical and professional background.

Morange, a 34-year Planning & Development employee, would fill a void in the Building Board of Appeals existing for nearly two years. 

Hulseberg told the board the village code states that a member of the Building Board of Appeals must be a staff member either from the Planning and Development or Facilities Department. 

This requirement, she said, has not been fulfilled since staffer Joe Kavpil ended his appointment.

Trustee Michelle Thorsell said an official should not be allowed to vote. She said in her own research, other municipalities have the expertise in a staffer, but they are ex-officio non-voting members.

"I don't understand why we would provide any intention of a conflict of interest," Thorsell said.

Thorsell wanted to clarify it was not the person but the position she is worried about creating a conflict of interest.

Trustee Peter Ladesic asked Hulseberg if Fire Chief Scott Raffensparger is a voting member on the Building Board of Appeals, and she said yes.

Village Attorney Stuart Diamond said he would look further into the ordinance Hulseberg cited. 

"This issue does cause some concern to me," Diamond said. "If you want to vote him into an ex officio member, that would be fine."

The board ultimately tabled the decision until its Dec. 13 meeting.

"We were looking to appoint Mike because he has some expertise on codes as a building inspector," Hulseberg said. "We thought his expertise would be useful and valuable as the commission went through looking at building code revisions."

In other news, the board passed a special permit for Northwood University to use the property at 1200 Roosevelt Road for some classes. Hulseberg said up to 12 students would us the building at once and classes would be between 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

She said the university would have to pay the building owner rent for the occupied 2,500 square feet in space.

Lastly, the board approved payroll and vouchers amounting to $1,301,730.55.