Unit 7 board approves property tax abatement

TOLONO – The school board has approved using a property tax abatement for the district.

District Superintendent Michael Shonk said that if revenues from the recently approved county 1 percent sales tax come in as expected, the abatement should result in a property tax reduction of about $300 on a $150,000 home. The revenues will be used to pay down a school bond issue.

In other business, Rick McPhee of the Farnsworth Group, Champaign, presented the board with three possible plans for building a new high school to replace the 50-year-old structure, which is overcrowded and in need of updating. Each scheme would be done in phases to allow for uninterrupted school operations.

The first scenario involves constructing a new building to the east of the current north wing. The building would hold four new classrooms. A new administration building would also be constructed between the high school and junior high.

The second phase would involve adding on to the new classroom building and maintaining and incorporating some of the old high school structure with phased demolition of the existing high school.

The second plan involves constructing a new building to the north of the current north wing that would hold both the administration and four new classrooms.

The second phase of that plan would be construction of a totally new high school to the east of the existing facility. The new structure would be built on top of the current baseball field.

The third plan would be similar to the second, but with a different building configuration. It would also mean moving the baseball field and the east access drive.

LINDA GOERSCH

See details in next week's County Star

Monticello school board

District to hold truth-in-taxation hearing

MONTICELLO – The school board approved a tentative tax levy at its meeting that officials said should have no impact on the district's tax rate.

The board, minus members Wendy Norvell, Kevin Frye and Jim Coleman, unanimously approved a tentative tax levy that is 8.8 percent higher than last year's extensions. A levy is what the school asks for, while an extension is what the district actually receives.

Because the tax levy increase is higher than 5 percent, the board will hold a truth-in-taxation hearing before its regularly scheduled board meeting on Dec. 16.

Superintendent Vic Zimmerman said the levy is based on an estimated equalized assessed valuation increase of 4.6 percent for taxable property in Piatt County.

MICHELLE HANSEN

See details in next week's Journal-Republican

Ogden Village Board

Cable television rates on the rise

OGDEN – Residents will see an increase in their cable rates.

Originally, the residents in the village who have Comcast services were paying a 3 percent franchise fee.

Comcast took over cable services within the village when it purchased Insight. The company decided to honor the franchise agreement the village had with Insight, which stated that if any village or municipality within 50 miles has a higher franchise fee than Ogden, Ogden's franchise fee would be raised to that.

Danville, which is 20 miles from Ogden, has a franchise fee of 5 percent.

For a few months Comcast was giving the village a 5 percent fee while only charging villagers 3 percent, Ogden Mayor Jack Reidner said.

However, now the fee to customers is being raised to 5 percent.

The increase goes into effect with the November billing cycle.

The money for the increase will go toward streets, alleys and roadways.

NORA MABERRY

See details in this week's Leader

St. Joseph Village Board

Proposed archery ban still on table

ST. JOSEPH – Village Trustee Scott Cousert said he is going to continue researching a ban on bow-and-arrow practice within the village limits.

"It doesn't make sense to me to shoot a lethal weapon inside the village," he said.

Former board member Terry Hitt and about 15 other residents attended the village board meeting in order to express their concern regarding the possibility of banning archery within the village.

Hitt said the board had researched banning archery before, but found no need for it.

"I expect you will come to the same result," he said.

Hitt said using bows and arrows within the village was no more dangerous than people jogging at night, crossing U.S. 150 or mowing their yards.

"And there is no ordinance against mowing your yard in St. Joseph," he said.

He also argued that archery was more accident-free than any other sport.

NORA MABERRY

See details in this week's Leader