COLONA — The food pantry and city officials will meet in early December to try and resolve questions over the pantry being housed in a city-owned building.
Last February, Alderman Larry Swemline said the city had been asked if the senior center were for sale. In March the council approved getting appraisals for both the senior center and the food pantry. There was also some talk of relocating the groups to Colona’s Scott Family Park.
Mayor Rick Lack said after Monday’s meeting the city had not released the property appraisals.
Alderman Tom Jones, 3rd Ward, noted the possibility of a 10-year contract for $1 per year. A five-year period was also mentioned.
Ald. Jones also said he didn’t care for a one-year agreement.
“It’s too much pressure on them to have to redo it,” he said.
Mayor Lack asked food pantry director Jan Miller, “Do you want a lease?”
“No,” she said initially, adding, “I think we probably should have something. I’ve never pressed it. We don’t want to go through this every year.”
She will meet with the public works committee Dec. 7. The pantry serves about 150 families per month.
In other business, a $400,000 deficit was reported in the budget being worked on for fiscal 2018. It is due May 1.
One of the revenue streams is property taxes. The mayor noted a 4.85 percent increase in the tentative 2018 property tax levy, which would bring in $27,107 more than last year’s $558,924. Approval of the levy will be on the Dec. 12 agenda.
“Realistically, we would need a 50 percent increase in our tax levy just to break even to cover that deficit,” said Ald. Mike King, finance/administration committee chairman.
Noting a neighboring community hasn’t raised property taxes in five years, Ald. King said Colona’s habit of raising taxes was just “putting a Band-Aid on things and not letting people know we have a problem.”
He suggested cuts in services such as mosquito spraying and more efforts to add revenue from new businesses and annexing property to enlarge the city.
“We have great services regarding public works. You’ll never see me advocate to have just one police officer on the streets, because it’s just not safe,” he said.
He added he was worried about residents being able to afford to live in Colona, but public works director Rick Crew said the city’s portion of property taxes was not that high.
“The taxes you raise are not enough money to run people out of town." He said the city risked “throwing out what we’ve done” and endangering a “reputable bedroom community the last 30 years.”
Still looking for new revenue, results from a contract with Retail Strategies of Texas were questioned. It was reported the firm has been targeting grocery stores, fast food businesses and gas stations.
“It’s something we’re going to be looking at after the first of the year,” said the mayor.
The council also:
* Approved a $2,250 charge for each of 20 new, high-quality campsites at Colona’s Scott Family Park.
* Agreed to have its attorney resolve differences in fence ordinances.
* Approved buying two mowers for $18,000 each and considering a backhoe purchase at a future meeting.
* Learned it is expected to put one new full-time police officer and one or two part-time officers before the council for approval Dec. 12.
* Abated property taxes for 2018 for series 2012 and 2013 bonds which residents are paying off on their water/sewer bills.
