Kendall Co. Plan Consortium Minutes 2008 07-24-08 Planning Commission Consortium APPROVED
Big Rock Community Park Building
July 24, 2008
Attendees:
Anne Lucietto, Chair Yorkville Plan Comm. Charles Wunder, Yorkville Planner
Richard Scheffrahn, Facade Committee Annette Williams, Yorkville
Stephanie Boettcher, Sr. Planner Scott Gengler, Yorkville
Angela Zubko, Kendall Co. Planning Dept. Sherry Underhill, Village of Newark
Sandy Adams , Yorkville Plan. Comm. Betty Langeland, Village of Plattville
Sandy Bell, Village of Big Rock Kay Hatcher, Reg. Plan. Commission
Paul Sestax, Big Rock Plan Commission Bill Lavine, Regional Plan. Comm.
Jeff Wehrli, Newark Plan. Comm. Jerry Friel, Plattville
Scott Gryder, Oswego Charles Wunder, Yorkville
Bonnie Warchol, Big Rock Paul Corgan, AHA Builder
Ray Warchol, Big Rock Budd Wormley, Millbrook
Judy Heim, Millbrook Dean Hummell, Big Rock
June McCord, Plattville Gary Petersen, Big Rock
Michael Crouch, Yorkville Art Zwemke, Robert Arthur Land Co.
Kurt Kojzarek, AHA Builders Delene Drew, Newark
Julie Lord, Beacon News Kathy Farren, Kendall Co. Record
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm by Anne Lucietto, Yorkville Plan Commission
Chairman. She welcomed all in attendance.
Ms. Lucietto introduced the guest panel speakers for the evening: 1)from Yorkville, Dr.
Thomas Engler, District#115 Superintendent; 2)from Plano, Dr. Laurel Walker, District 88
Superintendent; and 3)Mr. Jim Hammack, District 429 Superintendent of the Big Rock-Hinckley
district.
I have attached two articles written by reporters from the Beacon News and the Kendall County
Record, summing up the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 P.M.
Minutes submitted by Annette Williams.
1
Lack of state reform leaves schools 'begging fin- money' :: Beacon News :: News Page I of 2
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HOmu Pn , FfE14Lack of state reform leaves schools'begging for money'
July 27.2000
By Julie Lord Special to The Beacon News
Thomas Engler third 1 mince words when asked how Illinois schools are funded
'Very poorly"said Engler superintendent of the Yorkville School District
The Illinois state aid formula is archaic'Engler added it should have been changed 25 years ago'
Engler was one of three superintendents invited to discuss issues in school funding at a forum Thursday sponsored by the Kendall County Plan
Consortium at the Community Park Building in Big Rock
Other members of the panel were Laurel Walker.Plano superintendent;and Jim Hammack superintendent of the Hinckley-Big Rack district
Engler explained that population growth such as the growth in Yorkville and Plano does not pay for itself According to Engler for every dollar
a defint gains in property lazes it loses a dollar in slate funding
The panel emphasized that Illinois relies very heavily on property taxes for school funding Because of this there is a great disparity between
districts in property poor and property-rich areas
Hammack who said his district is relatively stagnant in growth agreed with the need for change at the stale level
The funding mechanism is broken'Hammack said "Kids should be educated no matter where they live"
Engler stressed that while the people in his district have been very generous taxpayers in other areas are not always quick to vole for
referendums He described the process as"begging for money'•
He claimed the process is not the same for cities and counties,which are in better control of their funds.Engler compared the two saying a
county will not have trouble building a jail.but school districts have to sell themselves to gel any funding for their buildings
As the discussion turned to finding a way to ease pressure on the taxpayers,one audience member asked about the Idea of abating property
taxes for seniors who do not have any children In the school district Members of the panel were in agreement that lessening taxes for these
citizens would ultimately do a disservice to the community
They explained that what draws residents to a town is the quality of the schools and that taking care of the schools is taking care of the
community
"As a senior citizen myself"Engler added, I say no you pay what everybody else pays"
As far as what can be done to change the funding system,the panel said there is a bill waiting for supporters but that lines been waiting for
some lime;no politician is willing to propose a lax hike according to Engler
All we can do is the best we can with what you give us'Engler said referring to slate aid
His final comment of the night echoed his first,
"Quit making things up dawn there(in Springfield)that we have to do unless you're willing to pay for it"
State senate to adopt cop on stover property taxes
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In Pinellas,another supvrinlcndent candidole 1,1111
Issue^.'
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gory morris wrote:
Thomas Engleryou say'As a senior myself'you pay what everbody else
1Ttt„•//www -,uLurbanchicap,onews.com/beacotmewsfhzews/1076117,2_1_AU27_DEVL•LO... 7/28/2008
Lack of state reform leaves schools 'begOng for money' :: Beacon News :: News Page 2 of 2
pays I see you are still employed I"m a senior not working on a fixed
income and the high taxes we pay force some to give up things they
need just to stay in there home So I see how your panel feels"throw
the seniors under the bus'is the answer you folks will there one day
then shoe will be on your own foal
Recommend Report Abuse
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lv RECORD Thursday, July 31, 2008 diestrild offildeals stress need for funding help
Representatives from local agencies-meet with public, developers
By Kathy Farrerl " enrollment they will have [o handle at Engler noted that his district has a between districts was more equitable,
the end of the next school year, not just representative on the City of Yorkville that problem would go away, he said.
The more residential development an the enrollment when school starts in °PlanComtnissiomand a goad working His district is also going to have to
area experiences, the more local school August "Even when kids come in the relationship with the city's planning deal with the dissolution of the special
districts need the help.of their cities and. second semester, we start incurring department. "If you don't' do that, as a education cooperative it has been part
counties. costs in the first semester,"she said. superintendent, mayor or village of. "We will have to find someone with
That view was expressed by three The delay in getting tax revenue from president, you_- are- shortchanging the to be.a special education
those students' homes is "greater than people." director. It's almost impossible,"
area school-superintendents during a P
July 24 Kendall County area planning most folks think about,"Walker said. Engler said the district has benefited .Hammack said.
meeting on school funding While some municipalities set their by working with the City of Yorkville
Yorkville School Superintendent Dr. fees on 3 sliding scale,depending on the Parks Department which plans park
Thomas Engler explained that when [he type of housing. and number of sites next to school sites- allowing some
P bedrooms, Engler said he prefers a flat shared use of adjacent property. -hange fllIiC�lllg
equalized assessed.value (EAV) of all fee. He also pointed out that he Engler noted that if school districts
property in a school district increases, estimates that, regardless of the type of want more tax revenue, their only
state aid to the district is reduced. �1ff8PCIlt problems option is to ask district voters to
"Growth never Y a s for itself under home, his district sees just about one
P Hinckley-Big Rock Superintendent approve a referendum. Hammack
this formula. The taxpayer pays the new students per.
also have unit. Jim Hammack said his district faces a pointed out Illinois is the number two
brunt,"he said. Developers also have to pay a "land- P
cash" fee, also set by cities, donating different set of problems brought on by rated state in the country for reliance on
Engler noted that school districts are declining enrollment. property tax.
funded almost entire( b state aid and land or cash ro the school district, based � P P� Y
Y Y Zwemke said his firm was going to The superintendents called on state
a err faxes, "mostly property taxes." on the size of their subdivision.
property Y Y P P Y - add 1$00 students to Hammack's lawmakers to pass bills to change
Basic state aid covers less than I2 Yorkville School District worked district, but changed plans because of school funding.
percent of Yorkville's budget,he said. with the developers of Grande Reserve
P � the economy. Now the district has Engler said there is a bill that's
In areas of rapid growth, school Subdivision and "got$9 million for the dropped 140 kids over the past five waiting for support in the General
districts are often educating students school," Engler said. Transition fees years and,Zwemke said, "The reality is, Assembly. However, few lawmakers
living in new homes several months were paid upfront, rather than as each home permit was issued, and the you'll be consolidating."are willing to vote to increase other
before collecting any real estate tax on Hammack said he worries about taxes to make up for a reduction in real
the home. To help chool districts in developers donated land for the school.
P losing "our very best teachers" who can estate faxes.
this situation, most area municipalities ' �Piano's newest.school, Emily John - -
P School, was also aid for b the drive a short distance [o another distract "I support moving away from
now assess a transition fee to each new advance payment of transition fees and and earn much higher pay. If funding property taxes," Walker said.
home built.The fee is paid to the school P Y
districts, which have no authority to land cash fees by developers, "largely
assess such a fee. without cost to taxpayers,"Walker said.
Dr. Laurel Walker, Plano School The per acre land cash fee now being
District superintendent, said the City of assessed is $101,000 in Yorkville and
Plano just revised their transition fee $96,000 in Plano.
ordinance setting the per house fee at Developer Art Zwemke of the Robert
$6,000. -Arthur Land Company was present and
Walker said that last year her district he said he thinks the fees have gotten a
little out of hand. "You need to look at
added 30 teaching positions as they
opened a new school. They also had to them in the light of the market." With
add support staff, such as custodians, land prices dropping, said there will
textbooks and they doubled the school be pressure to lower theess e fees.
bus fleet. Cities are doing more to help school
School districts prepare their budgets districts than providing fees. Walker
in the summer for the fiscal year which said the City of Plano participates in the
begins July 1.That means, Walker said, districts Growth Committee, helping that they have to anticipate what make projections about growth.
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