Teutopolis Board Agrees to Pursue Additional TIF District

Teutopolis village board members voted 4-2 Wednesday night to pursue an additional Tax Increment Finance district for the village.

Increases in certain tax revenue in a TIF district can be captured for use on enhancement projects within the district.

The proposed district includes property on the east side of the village at Farmweld, property around the Siemer Milling Company complex, and on the west side of the village around Wooden Shoe Development's property. The Wooden Shoe Development property is already in a TIF District.

Commissioners Kenny Esker and Dan Zerrusen voted against the motion.

A meeting of a TIF Joint Review Board; that is, representatives of all of the taxing bodies affected by the TIF District, will take place on June 29. A public hearing on the project and a plan for developing the district is set for August 2.

Also Wednesday, the Teutopolis Village Board amended the liquor ordinance to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages beginning at 6am on Sundays, rather than 8:30am, to coincide with the start of sales in unincorporated parts of the county; agreed to contribute $500 to the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce to help cover costs of an employment survey in Teutopolis; agreed to replace 60 feet of sidewalk along Pearl Street on the west side of Wessel's Grocery; and decided to hire John Loy as a fulltime police officer effective in August. Loy has been working on a part-time basis.