Dieterich Board Discusses Industrial Park, New TIF District

Dieterich village board members Monday reviewed a draft layout for an industrial park to be developed on the village's east side.

The Village is in the process of acquiring land for the park. Village Clerk and Economic Development Coordinator Brittny Gipson said there are businesses indicating interest in locating in the park. Gipson said the Board voted to seek a Rural Development Business Grant of $99,000 to help cover the cost of infrastructure to be located in the park.

The Board also is working on a third Tax Increment Financing District for Dieterich. The District is being developed to provide assistance to Dollar General, which will begin work soon on a store on the west edge of Dieterich, next to Probst Auto Body. The horseshoe-shaped TIF district will swing south across Route 33 from the Dollar General site past the Hartke Subdivision then east and back north to the east edge of the village in the area of the proposed industrial park. A TIF District captures any increase in tax revenue generated in the district for use on projects in the district.

Regarding the Hartke Subdivision, village trustees agreed to locate a new sign for the residential area along the new Liberty Road near Liberty Memorial Park, immediately east of the subdivision. The Board also appointed Bill Lane to the Board of Trustees, with his swearing-in to come at the Board's next meeting; agreed to commit $1,000 for each of the next three years toward the Effingham County CEO Program; hired Jeff Faught to mow the village cemetery for 2019; and discussed contracting with Tick Tock Energy for solar panels at the village lagoon and the maintenance building. The project would result in energy savings after six years, but the Village needs to find the funds to cover the startup of the work.

The Board also heard that Dieterich has been recognized by the American Motorcycle Association as a part of their "Tour of Honor" for 2019. Dieterich's Liberty Memorial Park will be one of seven stops on the Association's tour of Illinois between April 1 and October 31.