•March 29, 2017•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

City council members weighed in the options for building another water tower at the most recent council meeting.

After conducting a few tests, it was found that building a water tower north of Hydro-Gear would be the city’s best location option. A tower at this location would increase water distribution ability throughout the city.

Sullivan uses more than 400,000 gallons per day. The current tower holds 500,000 gallons – increasing the capacity by another 250 – 500,000 gallons would better prepare the city if emergency usage was required or the city experienced growth. Currently tower water storage is enough for Sullivan’s current usage.

The council noted it would be beneficial but was also was a large financial investment- an estimated million dollars.  Read More

•March 29, 2017•

Moultrie County has been issued a final property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to Constance Beard, Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue.

The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier”, is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g. school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.

Under a law passed in 1975, property in Illinois should be assessed at one-third (1/3) of its market value. Farm property is assessed differently, with farm homesites and dwellings subject to regular assessing and equalization procedures, but with farmland assessed at one-third of its agriculture economic value. Farmland is not subject to the state equalization factor. Read More