Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Public works, police, and fire are likely to get much attention as aldermen work on the city budget. That’s what Ald. Jim Donelan (pictured) said after Tuesday night’s council meeting.

“We tend to spend a lot of time this time of the year talking about those things, because those projects impact the people the most, and we have one-on-one meetings with the director and some of the public works staff,” said Donelan, who chairs the budget discussions. “We obviously have the public hearings and workshops to learn what’s in the budgets, and then we do our amendments.”

Speaking on the WTAX Morning Newswatch the next morning, Ald. Shawn Gregory says, seeing as how Donelan will leave the council next year because of term limits, somebody else should get a chance to chair the meetings.

“His time is winding down,” said Gregory. “Ald. Donelan is a three-time alderman. I just feel as a two-time alderman, it’s good to have some other people to learn and get used to some of those things.

“I’m big about that.”