This past summer, the Western Springs Village Board voted to raise the minimum wage from $8.25 to $11 an hour. The minimum wage is expected to increase again to $13 by the year 2020. The Board originally opted out of the Cook County minimum wage and sick leave ordinances in May of 2011, when they were first passed by the county.

“Western Springs’ decision [to back out] was based on the fact that we were about to have three new trustees and a new village president,” Board Trustee Ed Tymick said. “Because of the potential impact to our town and businesses, we thought it would be best to delay the decision until the new board was in office.”

The board also considered the residents of Western Springs and their opinions on the decision.

“The Western Springs Business Association (WSBA) met with the board members multiple times to explain their position and so did pro-minimum wage residents,” Tymick said. “Each trustee listened to both sides of the debate and came to their own conclusion and reasons for voting the way that they did.”

Many village members were vocal about their opinions on the decision and both sides of the argument contacted the board and their views toward the outcome.

“The minimum wage and sick leaves topics have generated the most direct feedback from residents that I have ever seen, with the possible exception of our water,” Tymick said.

The County Ordinance does not include employees who are less than 18 years old. These employees are paid at least $7.75 per hour . When employees turn 18 years old in Western Springs their pay per hour will increase. Some employers in Western Springs believe that this will bring in more potential employees.

“As minimum wage increases here in Western Springs I absolutely believe kids from other towns will seek jobs here, I believe as those other towns lose their employees, due to low wages, those towns will follow our footsteps, and increase to match ours,” Kelsey Sopran, a manager at the Western Springs Pool, said.