The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By: David Grimes Quill Correspondent
Henderson County Board members approved filing a budget that is $107,000 in the red and tax levy hike of 8.56 percent for the fiscal year 2003 at their Nov. 1 meeting.
The county expects to receive $1,339,200 in property taxes levied for 2002. Taxes received this year for county operations from last year's levy were $1,233,622.
Norman Underwood, the CPA from the firm Blucker, Kneer & Associates, Lts., Galesburg, who conducts the count's audits, explained the increase to board members and about a half dozen Henderson County residents.
Asked by Jack Weeks, rural Gladstone, if he felt taxes would continue to increase in the future, Underwood replied, "I would expect to see some continued increase.
Underwood added that financial strain is being felt by cities and counties throughout the state primarily for three reasons-the poor economy, the federal mandate that all towns and counties have 911 emergency telephone service by Sept. 1 and the deterioration in the stock market.
Underwood stressed the situation was not a result of the county not being fiscally responsibleÑcuts have been made in all county offices alreadyÑbut more a result of drastically reduced funding from the state.
"All the good years that have been enjoyed in stock market earnings are now catching up with us," he said.
The county's retirement, Social Security and liability insurance funds are having the most impact on the budget, with projected fund balances on Dec. 1, 2003, of $47,142; $114,033 and $121,653, respectively.
State law requires the county to wait 15 days after conducting a truth in taxation hearing on any proposed tax levy in excess of 5 percent and placing the proposed levy request and budget on file before formally taking action.
Don Rice addressed the board during the meeting regarding the manner in which bids for window work at the courthouse were handled, pointing out that specs were provided orally and not in writing. He added that he doubted the prevailing wage requirement would not be enforced, since Mark Muhleman, who was awarded the bid, will likely have his son help him on the project.
"I didn't feel the bids were put out fairly," Rice said.
Building and Grounds Committee Chairperson Randy Keever said that he felt the bidding process was handled properly.
"I thought we did everything fair and up front," he said. "Maybe we need to draw up specs, but unless the grant required it, we don't have to do it,"
On the point of policing adherence to prevailing wage requirements, Board Chairman Marion Brown told Rice, "It can't be enforced by the board."
Keever later said that spec requirements for the project were explained to all who submitted bids, but Rice was not a bidder.
On the advice of State's Attorney David Vancil, Jr., the board did decide later to put project specs in writing in the future.
In other business, the board approved:
The board was additional informed of an error in how mobile home privilege tax has been assessed in the county in recent years, as pointed out by the Illinois Dept. of Revenue
Discussion of how to dispose of unusable and discarded equipment currently being stored in the courthouse basement was tabled until a future date.
The board next meets Nov. 26, at 8:30 a.m. at the courthouse. Stevenson was absent.