IVCC to reduce property tax rate slightly, as property values have increased almost 9% in its district

The Illinois Valley Community College board adopted a tentative $15 million tax levy for 2023, a 4.99% increase from the 2022 actual tax extension of $14.3 million.

The levy is based on an estimated 8.96% increase in the district’s eight-county combined property values (equalized assessed values). The levy will result in a decrease of 0.0131 cents in the tax rate.

The average $100,000 home that has no change in its assessed value will realize a decrease of about $4.32 in taxes.

Adoption is expected next month. Since the increase is less than 5%, no truth-in-taxation hearing is required by statute.

In her monthly report to the board, President Tracy Morris:

• Reported that the IVCC Choir was invited to participate in the IL-ACDA Two-Year College Festival on Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Geneseo High School Performing Arts Center.
• Noted that all of the licensed practical nursing students and 91% of the registered nursing students passed their state licensure exams on the first try.
• Reported that math instructor Mary Black became the eighth IVCC instructor to complete the ION Master Online Teacher program.
• Announced that a basic-needs drive to supply Eagles Peak kept growing past its monthlong collection deadline, and a total of 1,024 basic-needs products have been collected to date.

In other business, the board:

• Approved three protection, health and safety projects costing $1.9 million. Those projects include upgrades to the interior lighting across campus, structural repairs to and waterproofing of the Building C mechanical room, and reconstruction of the loading dock.
• Approved an update to a policy that governs review and update of policies and procedures, as well as updated two other policies governing chronic communicable diseases and animals on campus.
• Discontinued the forensic science certificate.
• Approved a change order to the lighting and security updates project not to exceed $100,000, and a change order to the lighting project in the truck driver training area amounting to $10,200.

The board also learned of the following:

• The appointments of Christian Carboni, welding instructor; Eric Johnson, controller; Susan Monroe, IVCC Foundation alumni and donor relations coordinator; Laurie Polte, student services information specialist; and Karsen Gromm, marketing coordinator.
• The resignations of Tina Lowande, assessment center specialist, and Grace Norris, electronic resources librarian.