Pinckneyville Approves Levy; TIF to Refund $45,956

The Pinckneyville City Council Monday approved the annual levy for the current fiscal year, which was placed on file at the previous meeting.

The council approved an ordinance levying $559,300 for corporate purposes. Last year, Pinckneyville asked for $533,839.

Commissioner Leonard Heisner announced at the previous meeting that the Police Pension Board has informed the city that the state has increased the city's contribution from $124,000 to $199,645 in the coming year. The change came too late to be fully reflected in the city's corporate tax levy for the current year.

In other business, the council:

• heard from Commissioner Heisner that the city will soon have to refund $45,956 to the new owner of the Garden High Rise. The building will soon be granted tax-exempt status from the state, which is retroactive. Pinckneyville will be required to refund two years worth of TIF tax funds to the new owner.

• heard from Treasurer Rick Reese that the city has $1,461,305 in unrestricted cash at the end of November.

• passed an ordinance providing for the employment and training of part-time police officers. The officers will be trained in Belleville.

• approved the purchase of a VFD Ameren booster pump from Illinois Electric Works at a cost of $807. Price for the pump is $5,003 less a DCEO Illinois Now Energy Rebate of $3,680 and DCEO Sweet Deal bonus of $515.

• agreed to give $30 gift certificates to Perry County Market Place or Save-A-Lot to all city employees, including the two employees at the library.