La Salle council agrees to donate $1,000 to Illinois Valley Food Pantry

After more than a month of negotiations the city of La Salle will donate $1,000 to the Illinois Valley Food Pantry with the promise to revisit the amount during budget planning in the spring.

The La Salle City Council voted 5-1 during Monday’s meeting, with Crane voting against the donation. Aldermen Tom Ptak and Bob Thompson were not present.

“I just want to clearly state that I feel we should be equal to everybody,” Crane said. “And if we gave everybody that came in here asking for $50,000 then I think we’d be broke as a city … so that’s where I’m going to stand in voting no for large amounts.”

Lance Korter, an IVFP board member, requested the city donate $15,000 at the Dec. 9 meeting. Korter requested the donation be budgeted as a line item — meaning the city would give the same amount each year.

Korter said 60% of the pantry’s clientele are La Salle residents and they came up with the $15,000 donation amount based on the price on their food baskets.

The pantry served 7,598 La Salle residents in the 2023-24 fiscal year and spends $65 to $83 per food basket.

The Finance Committee may have tabled the item once again, as Alderman John ‘Doc’ Lavieri, who was filling in for Finance Chair Tom Ptak, said Ptak had told him he was against moving on the donation before budget planning.

Alderman Joe Jeppson said that if there was something Ptak wanted to add to the discussion then the committee should hold off for two weeks. Alderman Jerry Reynolds made a motion to table it.

“We keep putting it off,” Alderman Jim Bacidore said.

Public Information Officer Brent Bader said his understanding of the communication was the food pantry donation would be an item of discussion during a budget meeting.

“However, I believe there were some conversations about whether or not you want to donate something in the meantime, until we get to that budgeting phase,” he said.

Finance Director John Duncan told the council the budget meeting has not been scheduled, as the city typically has the meeting in June.

“You don’t think there’s going to be anybody hungry between now and June,” Bacidore said. “We give money to (North Central Area Transit), we put money into the swimming pool every year. We lose money and the people from Peru use it. So, if we gave them $5,000 are we going to go broke?”

“No, we will not be, alderman,” Duncan said.

“I’m in favor of a donation, as well,” Jeppson said. “But I think if Alderman Ptak would like to add to the conversation for a donation now and then, we’ll talk more at the budget.”

Alderman T. Boo Herndon made a motion to donate $1,000 to the food pantry right away.

Bacidore was vocal with his disapproval of the amount — encouraging the aldermen to give a minimum of $5,000, his original request.

“Aye, if that’s all we’re going to give,” he said. “There’s some people out there who don’t have enough to eat.”

Duncan said he worked the last two food pantry events and there was a line of probably 20 to 40 cars long for three to four hours.

“There’s definitely a need,” he said.

Lavari voted against the donation during the finance committee as did Crane.

“I think $1,000 looks worse,” he said. “Unless, they’re aware that hopefully more is coming.”

Grove said during council it was never an easy decision and it would look at it again during the budget with maybe a larger amount.

“I see both points, but as long as we make sure it comes and gets revisited again come May 1,” he said.

IVFP Executive Director Mary Jo Credi said the pantry was grateful the council was willing to donate something right away with the consideration of revisiting a $15,000 donation as a line item in the future.