City Council Discusses Tax Levy, Building Improvement Projects

Effingham city council members discussed options for the fiscal year tax levy at this week's meeting.

After approving a levy with a 0% increase last year, the Council considered three options; a 4.99% increase, an 8.7% hike and a 10.5% increase.

City Administrator Jim Arndt said the levy could range anywhere from 0% to 16.6%. Arndt said the 4.99% proposal would generate enough additional revenue to maintain current services, an 8.5% hike would generate enough to fund all general fund items and a portion of the corporate fund, while the 10.5% hike would fully fund general fund expenditures and almost the entire corporate fund list. The 10.5% hike would also generate enough funds to add one city police officer per shift as well as a vehicle and equipment for each new officer. 

Arndt said increasing the police force was an issue during the last city election campaign, when it was noted the force is the same size as it was in the 1970s. 

The 10.5% increase would mean another $45 for an owner of a $150,000 home in the city.

The levy has to be approved by the end of the calendar year.

The Council approved an agreement with the Westjohn family to share the cost of exterior improvements to the Zehner Building at 4th and Washington, and heard a proposal from Twila Orr to split the cost of exterior work on two homes on North 4th Street that are being connected to make more office space available for Orr Law. The exterior work is estimated to cost $99,000.

The Council approved a special use permit for erection of a communications tower at Chuck's Satellite at Fayette and Linden; approved a price reduction on the repainting of the north water tower; and awarded a bid for a $418,000 project for a water main bore under Wabash Avenue and Wernsing Avenue as well as the railroad lines in the city business park. Engineering work was approved for design of a box culvert to carry Rickelman Avenue through a dip west of North 3rd Street, as well as for the asphalt portion of North Raney Street, north of Ford Avenue.

Council members allocated $1,000 toward the cost of the Effingham County Heroes Memorial to be located on the lawn of the old Courthouse downtown; and approved appointment of Mayor Jeff Bloemker and City Economic Development Director Todd Hull to the board of directors of the Effingham County Growth Alliance. The vote to appoint Hull was 5-0, but the vote to appoint Bloemker was 3-2 with Commissioners Don Althoff and Kevin Esker voting No. Bloemker nominated himself to replace Althoff on the Alliance board.

The Council discussed abating bond payments for water, sewer and TIF District projects and using other revenues to make the bond payments; discussed a multi-year agreement with Effingham County 911 for use of City and County telecommunicators to handle 911 calls; agreed to vote next time to amend City Hall operating hours in all offices to from 7:30am to 4:30pm; and discussed taking bids on replacement of a water main along East Route 40 under Salt Creek to serve homes and businesses on the south side of the highway east of Effingham.