The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Joy Swearingen, Quill correspondent
Representatives from Carthage city council talked with the Illini West High School board at their meeting Feb. 20, explaining the current TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district, and how changes they are considering would affect the school district.
The TIF district in Carthage was set up in 2007, slated to run for 23 years, until 2030.
An agreement between Carthage and Illini West was established at that time to give some funds back to the school for tax dollars they would lose from property tax growth within the TIF district.
Present at the meeting were Carthage mayor Jim Nightingale; Amy Graham, director of Carthage Community Development; and Steve Kline, president of Economic Development Group of Bloomington.
Kline gave the history of the TIF district, how the district is reimbursed, and changes that could occur.
Certain properties and areas within Carthage were established as the TIF district. It includes property along Buchanan Street, (Rt. 136), land east of town, the courthouse square, and a few other areas.
Since its formation, any increase in assessed value within that district has not been available to taxing bodies to apply to their tax rates. Instead the dollars from this increase in value are placed in the TIF fund.
These funds can be used only for specific purposes, such as building infrastructure, incentives to encourage growth in the district, and reimbursements to taxing bodies for certain uses.
“It is not a tax increase, it is a tax reallocation,” Kline explained.
Reimbursement to Illini West, and similarly to Carthage Elementary School District, in their agreements had been based on the state aid formula used in 2007.
In 2017 the state changed the way schools were funded which has caused a need for an amendment of the agreements with the schools.
In addition, Kline said boundaries of the TIF district could change because of land that has been annexed into Carthage city limits.
“Really tonight, we are just trying to establish some good communication and discussion,” Kline said. “We’re not expecting a decision tonight. We have some work to do to finish up the amendment. We want to get the boundary configured the way it needs to be.”
The TIF board may request an extension that would continue the TIF district beyond 2030 allowing for more economic development. The city has not yet asked for an extension.
“This is not a foregone conclusion,” Kline said. “It needs to be done collaboratively with the other taxing bodies. The state legislature has to approve an extension of time onto a TIF district. But I will tell you, the ones that get approved are the ones that have support of the taxing bodies in the community.”
Nightingale and Graham described several improvements to Carthage that have created jobs, drawn families to the area and added to the overall assessed value both in and outside the TIF district.
In other business, the board approved three-year leases on two new buses from Midwest Transit Equipment.
A 2026 International 60-passenger plus wheelchair lift was leased for $27,978 per year. A 2024 72-passenger bus was leased for $20,483 per year. These replace two leased route buses that are expiring at the end of the year.
The board accepted the Technology Committee report. Superintendent Jay Harnack reported that all of last year’s action items have been completed.
“We have the camera system updated,” he said. “What we are working on for next year are the AI guidelines.”
Two major projects that will take the rest of this year and most of next year are updating the student information system and new financial software.
“I think parents are going to like the information they are able to get on a daily basis about student grades, behavior, attendance. All that will be at their fingertips.”
The guidelines for use of artificial intelligence were approved.
Two overnight trips were approved. FFA students were approved to attend Women Changing the Face of Agriculture conference in Carbondale March 6 and 7, chaperoned by McKenna Merritt and Melissa Johnson. FBLA students were approved to attend the Illinois State FBLA Conference in Springfield March 28 and 29, chaperoned by LaShay Ramirez and Tiffany Shepler.
Cassie Climer and Carla Fink were approved as flags coaches for the 2025-2026 school year, splitting the stipend. Resignations were accepted from bus driver Mike Nichols effective Feb. 28, and flags coaches, Dina Schaller and Miakea Toubekis, effective at the end of this school year.