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 a promise to revisit the amount during budget planning in the spring.

The La Salle City Council voted 5-1 during Monday’s meeting, with 4th Ward Alderman Jordan 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 that the city donate $15,000 at the Dec. 9 meeting. Korter requested that 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 of food baskets.

The pantry served 7,598 La Salle residents in fiscal 2023-2024 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 Ptak, the finance chair, 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 that 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 [meeting].”

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 that 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 meeting, as did Crane.

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

La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove said during the council meeting that it was never an easy decision, and he would look at it again during the budget meeting 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 that 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.