TIF board meets in Richmond

12/05/06

 

by Greg Cryns

 

The Joint Review Board for the pending TIF district met on Monday night at village hall. The board consists of an appointed representative from eight taxing districts that affect the village and one “at large” person to represent the community itself. The purpose of the meeting was to get an opinion from the board as to whether the village has met its legal obligations for setting up a TIF inside village limits.

 

Board members include John Linehan from McHenry County College, Dan Oest from school district 157, Ben Peterson from the Richmond Fire Department, Paul Hain from school district 2, Dennis Bardy from the Richmond Village, Adam Metz from Richmond Township, Adrian Adams from the Nippersink Library, John Labej from McHenry County, and Nicola Nelson a long time resident of Richmond who was appointed to represent the village at large.

 

The board decided they needed more time to review the information given to them. However, it was pointed out that time is of the essence since the board has a maximum of 30 days to fulfill its initial duties and recommendations. The board will meet again at 4 p.m. December 13. The public is invited and encouraged to attend all village meetings.

 

Beth Ruhle of Ehlers & Associates is an expert on developing TIF districts. She is working with Richmond. She could not attend the meeting in person but she was put through on a speaker-phone for the entire meeting.

 

Hain and Oest believe the school districts will suffer financially if the TIF district is set up. When a TIF is formed all buildings inside the TIF are evaluated for current taxation. The schools will continue to receive the base rate but not any increases building valuations increase for the duration of the life of the TIF. The schools and other taxing bodies would receive an additional 3.3% increase each year as well.

 

Kit Carstens, a business owner, attended the meeting. He is considering putting a winery on the old golf course area. “Richmond is not reinventing the wheel here,” said Carstens. He is also the chairman of the Riverwalk development in the town of McHenry. According to Carstens the Riverwalk depended heavily on being inside a TIF district for its success. “Do you believe that the economy in the downtown area needs improvement? Is the image of the downtown area important to you? If so, you need a TIF district.”

 

Cindy Holtz is a board member for the high school who attended the meeting. “We need to realize that Richmond and McHenry are two different types of villages,” said Holtz.

 

Ruhle raised some eyebrows when she said that without a TIF the downtown area will continue to bring in “here today, gone tomorrow” businesses.

 

Sue Maurer is a school district 2 board member who attended the meeting in the audience. Interviewed after the meeting Maurer said, “My concerns are not only for our schools, but there is a larger concern for the taxpayers that are expected to bear an ever increasing share of the tax burden for 23 years.   The residents that will be most affected include residents of Spring Grove, Richmond outside of the TIF boundary, portions of Fox Lake and portions of unincorporated McHenry County within the school district boundary.  A responsible Village board should consider the added dollars that they expect these residents to pay. Due to the fact that this TIF can be approved without a referendum approval, the Village Trustees of Richmond need to look at the affect on the taxpayers wallet as related to this proposed TIF and consider their wishes."

 

The board members were confused about their duties for that particular meeting. According to state law the review board is to look at redevelopment plans in the TIF and to decide if they think the village met the eligibility requirements.

 

Both Oest and Nelson said they could not find the exact duties described in the packet he received from the village. The packets were received within seven days of the meeting. “This is too much to ask a lay person to quickly understand,” said Hain.

 

According to state law, “the board shall review (i) the public record, planning documents and proposed ordinances approving the redevelopment plan and project and (ii) proposed amendments to the redevelopment plan or additions of parcels of property to the redevelopment project area to be adopted by the municipality. As part of its deliberations, the board may hold additional hearings on the proposal.”

 

As required by state law, a public hearing about the TIF will be held on Thursday, January 4, 2007.  Citizens are invited to come to this meeting and express their opinions.