THURSDAY
Januar y 21, 2016 • 75¢
CITY SAVINGS Employee’s idea brings extra money for Plano / 3
KendallCountyNow.com
SERVING PLANO AND KENDALL COUNTY FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS
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Officials cool to idea of mergers
Yes, it’s cold, but it’s also so beautiful
Say townships still needed in Kendall County By JOHN ETHEREDGE jetheredge@shawmedia.com
Photos by ERIC MILLER emiller@shawmedia.com Temperatures dipped below zero – the lowest of the winter season so far – in Kendall County and much of northern Illinois on Monday morning. The frigid temperatures were tough on anyone who dared to venture outside, but also created some beautiful views along the Fox River and in area parks for anyone who was able to stop and enjoy.
TOP: Frozen mist rises off the Fox River at Silver Springs State Park in Plano on Monday morning. RIGHT: Ice crystals form on the pool above Silver Springs.
Plano OKs new tool to attract business By LYLE R. ROLFE news@kendallcountynow.com The Plano City Council approved a new economic development tool to help attract new businesses to the city. Alderman Mike Rennels introduced a resolution to implement a sales tax rebate program policy, and it was adopted by unanimous vote Jan. 11. A similar program had been in effect, but the new one is easier to work with and understand, he said. It also complies with
state regulations, he added. “We’re trying to make it more friendly and easier to understand to encourage new businesses to locate here,” he said. Rennels said the program would allow the city to rebate part of the sales tax a business generates back to the business. Although the sales tax rate in Plano is 6.75 percent, only 1 percent goes to the city, so this amount would be given back to the businesses, he said. He said each agreement would be negotiated on its own
with the business owner or the owner of the property where the business would be located. It could make it easier for developers to entice new tenants to locate in their projects, Rennels said. It’s a fairly common tool used by other municipalities, he said. He could not estimate how much the city might return over a period of time. In other business Jan, 11, council members approved an ordinance reducing the amount of transition fees the Little Rock-
Fox Fire Protection District receives on each new home built in the city. The fire district will now receive $1,000 per single family home, down from the prior fee of $1,593. Other taxing bodies in the city are in the process of reviewing their fees to see how much they can be reduced. Overall, the fees in total are being reduced by 50 percent, according to Tom Karpus, director of building, planning and zoning for Plano.
Consolidating township governments or merging them with county or local municipalities would not likely produce a significant property tax savings for Kendall County residents, according to some county and township officials. A state task force organized by Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner issued its recommendations last week for streamlining local government across the state in an effort improve efficiency and save taxpayers money. Among the recommendations contained in the report is a provision that would allow Illinois residents to consolidate or dissolve local units of government via referendum, while another would allow all township governments to consolidate with local municipalities having the same boundaries. The consolidations would be implemented following the passage of local referendums. Another recommendation calls for a change in state law that would remove an existing 126-square-mile cap on the size of townships. Removing the cap would allow for the consolidation of multiple townships into single townships larger than 126 square miles. Kendall County is comprised of nine townships. Each is responsible for overseeing a very narrow range of public services as specified under state law. Those services include: maintenance and snow plowing of roads in unincorporated areas, assessing
SPORTS
COUNTYWIDE
WHERE IT’S AT
Win over Coal City
On the road ... or trail
Plano girls basketball now 4-4 entering Interstate Eight Conference tournament / 12
From spring through December, runners have their pick of races in Kendall County / Inside
Forum.................................................... 5 Fire calls............................................... 8 Kristy Lawrie Gravlin....................... 10 Local news.......................................2-11 Opinion.................................................. 4 Police reports.................................. 8-9 Sports...................................................12
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See CONSOLIDATION, page 3
Vol. 41, No. 3 3 sections