Ottawa TIF surplus moves to county for distribution to other local taxing bodies

The taxing bodies that contribute to three tax increment financing districts in Ottawa soon will be getting a check from the La Salle County treasurer.

The Ottawa City Council on Tuesday night passed three ordinances declaring a surplus of TIF funds that will be paid to the county for distribution to those taxing bodies.

The surpluses in the North TIF District, East TIF District and Route 71 TIF District will be returned to the county for proportionate distribution to the contributing taxing body – for example, schools, townships, libraries, etc.

“Each year when we get our taxes, we have to divide that amount of money into certain categories that we had promised, whether it be developers, money back to the city or whatever it might be,” Mayor Robb Hasty said. “[When] all the money has contractually [been given out] and there is more still sitting there, we give it back to the county, and it distributes it back to the taxing bodies that would have received that money had it not been held back for that TIF.

“It’s an annual occurrence for us. … It’s built into the contracts, so we know ahead of time what that surplus will be and, now, as we come to the end of the fiscal year (April 30), we can actually write the check to the county.”

The council also passed an ordinance authorizing the sale of five properties it acquired through various means, used grant money to demolish the houses on said properties, and soon will advertise the lots’ availability for sale.

The properties are vacant lots at 513 St. George St., 230 Anita Drive, 221 Deleon St., 819 Canal St. and 1924 Pratt Lane.

“This is just for us to put on file so we can advertise, so people can come in and put a bid on the specific piece of property,” Hasty said. “All of them are vacant now.”

Hasty also expressed some pride in the fact the city had reached and approved agreements with both the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the International Association of Firefighters Local 523 before the current contracts expired.

“I think this is the first time in recent memory that both were done before they expired,” he said. “Those were also due April 30, and not only did we manage to get one in before the contract expired, we got both of them in. That’s something that the council, AFSCME and the fire department can all feel good about.

“We all work well together. We listened to one another, we heard each other out, we negotiated, and we didn’t let personalities or temperament get in the way and we were able to move through them pretty quickly.”

In other action, the council:

• authorized a hosting agreement with Earth Networks Inc. to have a WeatherBug station for WGN-TV and radio set up on the Jordan block.
• agreed to a proposal from KLM Engineering for inspection of the city’s water towers. The company will lift into the tank a submersible unit to view the inside of the tanks.
• approved a maintenance agreement with Braniff Communications for the city’s warning sirens.
• authorized a grant agreement with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources regarding the South Bluff Historic Survey.
• approved an intergovernmental agreement with Ottawa Township regarding snow removal.