Enterprise Zone Board Considering Annexing Stevens Industries Property

Stevens Industries, headquartered in Teutopolis, is considering a 75,000 square foot expansion and is requesting that the site be annexed into the Effingham City/County Enterprise Zone. The annexation would save Stevens on sales taxes. 

Stevens Board Chairman Tom Wegman told the Enterprise Zone Board that equipment being acquired is going into the company's operation in the Business Park in Effingham, meaning less storage space. Wegman said their building at Teutopolis along the CSX Railroad south across Route 40 from the main plant is also to become a fulfillment center. Those considerations led to the decision to build the addition onto the building by the railroad at Teutopolis, and to seek annexation of that property into the Enterprise Zone.

Effingham Enterprise Zone officials Todd Hull and Sasha Althoff will check with the affected taxing bodies about the annexation request.

Stevens will not be eligible for property tax abatement since the property is already in the Teutopolis Tax Increment Financing district and getting the abatement there.

Also, the Enterprise Zone Board elected County Board Chairman Jim Niemann as zone chairman and Teutopolis Village Board President Dave Repking as vice-chair. Luke Hayes of Dieterich Bank was welcomed as the new public member representing the financial community.

Althoff reported that 16 projects were undertaken in the Enterprise Zone in 2020, representing $13.6 million in investment and 64 new jobs.

So far in 2021, six projects have begun involving 245 new jobs, which will be created at Flex-N-Gate when it is finalized in Effingham and more than $24 million in investments.