After the Pledge of Allegiance at 7:00PM, Town Clerk Quinn Keefe called the meeting to order. The first order of business was to elect a Moderator, and Jerry Smith was selected.
Minutes of the 2010 Annual Meeting had been recorded by a court reporter and transcribed, and they were accepted as prepared. The group thought this preferable to the reading of 78 typewritten pages. Those Minutes can be viewed at Township headquarters and also may become available online.
The financials were presented - the Town Fund grew by $90,000 to $1,250,228 on March 31, 2011. The General Assistance Fund remained about the same, disbursing $750 more than revenues, and ending the fiscal year at $562,513.
The Road Funds expended about $80,000 more than revenues to end the fiscal year at $808,358.
The Permanent Hard Road Fund expended about $200,000 more than revenues, ending the fiscal year at $436,203.
Supervisor Bob Pierce informed the electors that the anticipated claims for the General Assistance Fund had not materialized.
Due diligence continues on the 747 South Eastwood Drive building under contract as the new township offices. Township officials will decide about April 21 whether to close on May 9. The building containing AutoTech and the stores to the north are believed at this time not to be part of the commercial condominium association for the property to become the township offices.
Road Commissioner Tom Thurman explained the salt brine process and pointed out the new equipment in the building where the Annual Meeting was held. In response to a question about the need for a truck washing bay, the concern of the County Health Department is with the improper drain for the wash area, not necessarily with what is being washed off the trucks in the winter. The wash bay (heated) is wanted for winter washing of the trucks.
Assessor Kelli Myers reported that there was a 5.62% drop in assessed valuations in Dorr Township in the last year. She strives for equal treatment and equal taxation under the law. Those who appeal their assessed valuations get lower assessments. Those who don't, don't. Seventy-seven (77%) of the appeals got reductions last year.
She said she has not seen a State multiplier for years. It is the County multiplier that might be increased, so that revenues remaining at current levels. This is why your taxes stay the same or go up, even though the assessed valuation of your property might go down.
6 comments:
Ned, as you may remember, Dorr Township was just coming off a contentious period following a report of a committee of electors who had recommended a refund of $1,000,000 to property owners.
The trustees had been saving up money over the years from excess taxes and wanted to expand facilities. Electors at the 2010 Annual Meeting did not vote in favor of the refund.
I suspect the Township's decision to hire the court reporter was a CYA move. The Town Clerk had quit suddenly, and the Township was in the process of appointing the successor Clerk.
Not sure that anyone has asked what the court reporter's service cost the Township.
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/openmeet.pdf
SO the township is looking to spend money that they were hoarding.
Read the Open meetings act summary. What a waste of money. Have money, will (waste) spend same!
Snidely, thanks for posting and for the link to the Open Meetings Act. There is a more recent version (2010, I think).
The townships got caught squirreling away money a few years ago, and they were then told to make a line-item out of money they were saving for a rainy day.
Not sure just which State official told them to account for the money on a separate line in accounting statements.
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