•November 23, 2016•

The Sullivan Community Unit 300 school board approved the 2016 payable in 2017 tentative tax levy of 4.99% based on a projected Equalized Assessed Valuation of $121,595,853.

Supt. Brad Tuttle explained the amount requested could be reduced and noted the district tax levy increase has averaged two percent per year since maximum rates were set in 1983.

Director of maintenance Kevin Landrus reported that work has begun on the elementary school chillers now that the  cooling season in over. He told the board the new boiler was fired at the high school, and the middle school boiler is pending a gas flow regulation adjustment before it can be fired.

Landrus then explained a $23,000 construction change order for the high school HVAC system replacement. The roof top unit for the north wing of the high school was larger than expected and required additional steel reinforcement for the roof.

Supt. Tuttle went on to note that both the architect and carrier returned $2500 to the district because of the error that led to the required change.

“The change was heavier than expected so we had to make a quick decision,” Tuttle said of the problem, noting the architect and carrier’s contributions helped ease the pain. Read More

•November 16, 2016•

Elections have passed, and the Moutlrie County Clerk’s office is assembling tallies for the official caucus next week.

In the 2016 Moultrie County election chief election deputy Jamie Helton reported there were 370 new voters registered and 1400 absentee ballots voted. Of that number 1146 were voted along with early and grace voting periods while 254 were submitted by mail.

In the only race contested in the county incumbent Republican State’s Attorney Jeremy Richey withstood a challenge from former Democrat State’s Attorney Marvin Hanson.

Richey received 4121 total votes to Hanson’s 2040.

The state’s attorney received 710 early votes, 117 absentees and 3299 votes on election day. Hanson had 410 early votes and 109 absentees with 1521 election day votes. Read More

•November 16, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond School Board members passed a tentative estimated tax levy of 6.11%. Supt. Ken Schwengel explained that this estimate is based on an inflated EAV. “It is an increase in what the total levy would generate (minus bonds) based on our established tax rates and the inflated EAV.

It is not an indication of how much a person’s property taxes are going to increase,” he said. Schwengel receives estimates from each county which helps him calculate an estimated EAV. “I balloon the levy to protect the district from possible variances in the actual EAV. Regardless of how much I inflate the EAV, we will not receive more than our tax rate will generate,” he informed.

Last year’s projected EAV was $197,819,278 with a tax levy of 3.6753%. Schwengel estimated this school year’s EAV at $202,511,690. A truth and taxation hearing will take place at the board meeting in December. Read More

•November 9, 2016•

Annual review of Sullivan’s three Tax Increment Financing ended with discussion of a possible expansion south along Route 32.

Mayor Ann Short noted that infrastructure is already in place in the Vineyard Church area where Dr. Faisal Bukhari and a group of investors hope to build an Alzheimer treatment facility.

“The city is willing to work with developers on feasible projects,” Short said, noting with enough interest, surrounding property owners could benefit from improved values following both commercial and residential expansion.

Gwen Crawford of The Economic Development Group of Bloomington oversees the Sullivan TIFs and presented the report in public hearing held Oct. 24 in Sullivan City Council chambers. Read More

Longevity Increases Proposed

•November 9, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

A plan to improve the salary structure for Moultrie County office employees was approved by the county board personnel committee Nov. 1.

Committee chair Roger Glazebrook presented a plan to increase new employee starting salary from $18,000 to $19,000 per year.

An opening in the supervisor of assessments office prompted the county to increase the advertised starting salary to $19,000 earlier and had not addressed the issue for other county offices.

A delegation from the courthouse office employees presented an alternative pay schedule proposal to the county board earlier that included across the board adjustments, equalizing pay levels as well as taking consideration for veteran employees

An alternative proposed by county board chairman Dave McCabe would have compensated those with the most experience with a $500 adjustment. Read More