The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
A public hearing on the proposed Illini West High School property tax levy will be held on Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. at the beginning of the board’s regular December meeting. Public comments are welcomed at the hearing. The board meets in their offices at 403 Walnut Street in Carthage.
At the meeting Wednesday, Nov. 19, the board approved a tentative levy of $4,500,000. They will act on the final levy at the December meeting.
The levy is a dollar amount that is requested for the FY26 budget. It is based on the estimated assessed property values in the district, applied to the current tax rate.
The actual property taxes extended for 2024 were $4,200,665, making the proposed levy a 7.13 percent increase over the previous year.
Compliant with the Illinois Truth in Taxation Law, the district will publish an official notice in the local paper since the levy is 5 percent or more over the previous year's actual taxes. These notices will be printed in the Hancock County Journal-Pilot and the Hancock County Quill in December.
The tax levy request is based on applying the current voter-approved tax rates to the value of property (EAV) in the district.
“When an (EAV) is not yet available, it is important that districts ‘balloon’ their levy in order to be conservative in estimating any potential growth,” Superintendent Jay Harnack explained in comments to the board.
The levy is an “ask,” he noted. However the district only receives the amount generated by the tax rate applied to the final assessed value of the district property.
The annual tax levy is very important to the school district operation, according to Harnack. The school district gets about 65 percent of its funding from local tax money.
Harnack gave the board information on two major projects at the school, replacing the gymnasium bleachers and repairing the track around the football field.
After some discussion, the board approved going forward with the bid process to replace the bleachers at an estimated $396,718.
This would include buying portable bleachers that would be used on the stage for student seating during ball games and could be used on the gym floor for other events.
The bid includes removal of the current wooden bleachers, which they hope to save and use for industrial arts projects.
The estimate for the track repairs was over $600,000. Harnack said the estimate was high because the track has not been refurbished for many years and would require a new base.
Both estimates were from BLDD Architects.
The board approved applying for a state maintenance grant of $50,000 to continue improvements to the parking lot.
Principal Amanda Congdon reported on the successful Veterans Day program that was held at La Harpe Elementary School, jointly with La Harpe, Carthage and Dallas City elementary school districts.
The board approved a proposal from Great Western Abatement to remove asbestos floor tile under the carpet of the school offices for $9,675. This will be done during the Christmas vacation.
The following coaching appointments were approved:
Ryan Bliss as cross country coach; Christine Murphy as head golf coach; and Sawyer Johnson as head volleyball coach.
An early graduation request was approved for senior Piper Caldwell.
The annual statement of affairs for the Illini West district was approved to be printed in the local newspaper.
The board learned the Illini West district was assessed as “commendable” in the ISBE annual summative designations.