Education Matters US

Here are my notes from the board meeting on 11/14/2005. My comments are in [italics].

Public Comment

• Gentleman living near Madrona stated there is an outdoor firing range about 1000 feet away from the school and can be heard by the students. He suggested the Board contact the owners and work with them on how to reduce the noise.

Mayor Bill Gentes of Round Lake made a presentation:

• Hwy 120 bypass
  • He has been working with Mayor Tim Perry [Grayslake] and it appears this will get done
  • Will raise EAV [equalised assessed value] because of the traffic help
  • Trying to partner with Baxter to help increase industrial base in the area
  • Current traffic quantity does not allow products in or out to the area very well
• Cedar Lake Road Bypass
  • Will be up to Rt 60 this year with stoplight
  • In 2 years it will be done up to 120 and Townline Rd.
  • Police station will be built in that area and near Madrona.
  • Possibly a Fire Station will be built near Madrona as well.
• Synnesvedt Site (120 & Fairfield)
  • Concord Lanar is the Developer
  • 90 acres of the approximate 300 will be commercial
  • 120 bypass set aside in the development
  • large scale senior portion (250 of the approximate 650 homes)
  • 1 year away from passage
  • 2 years minimun before kids
  • More concept plans in January
  • Annex vote probable late next year
• Southwest Quadrant
  • 2 – 3 sq miles
  • want it to be mostly commercial
  • Rt 60 to Bacon on the east and Fish Lake on the West that affects D-46
• Ryland Homes Development
  • Back part in Big Hollow and Grant schools
  • Front part in D46 is commercial
  • Big Hollow did not work with village until negotiations were almost complete
• How this Works?
  • Work from a PUD (Planned Unit Development) structure
  • Everything is negotiable (density, structure sizes, number of trees and shrubs, etc.)
  • Want all involved taxing bodies present in negotiations (schools, libaries, parkrs, fire, etc..)
  • The land gets annexed at the time the PUD is approved
  • Usually a 12 – 18 month process
  • 99% of the Villages’ development and growth done this way
  • Recent impact fees were $21,000 to $25,000 to all taxing bodies per residence
  • $5,000 – $6,000 to school districts per residence

Ellen presented the Superintendent Committee Descriptions [Thanks for the electronic copies Ellen]:

The following are her Committee Guidelines:

Committee Discussion:

• Discussed whether or not to post the meeting times so the public can view the meetings but not interact with them
• Will be discussed at a future meeting once the District Legal staff has given a more thorough opinion, impression was these would not need to be posted since they were Superintendent Committees
• Committees are starting and do not have to wait for the posting decision.
• Consensus of the Board that regular updates be given in their weekly updates by Ellen and public updates at the Board meetings given approximately every 2 months as appropriate to the committee.
• Jill asked that one of the options presented by the committees be the most cost effective method and budget neutral if possible.
• Keith wanted to make sure that each committee brought options and not just a blanket list with the impression being it’s all or nothing. Without options it would probably be nothing.
• It was the consensus of the Board that regular updates be given in their weekly updates by Ellen and public updates at the Board meetings given approximately every 2 months.

Dan Aggen, the District Business Manager, presented the proponed levies for the 2005 tax year. You can view his entire presentation here. [Page 3 expels the rumor that property values will fall if a referendum does not pass. There has been a steady increase since 1991.] The basics are as follows:

• Limiting rate = (3.3% (CPI) * 2004 Extension) / (2005 EAV – New Construction) = 3.1591
• Final Rates (page 8 )
  • Ed Fund – 2.3984
  • Tort Immunity – 0.0202
  • Special Education – 0.0184
  • Operations & Maintenance – 0.4595
  • Transportation – 0.1103
  • IMRF – 0.0494
  • Social Security – 0.0494
  • Working Cash – 0.0459
  • IMRF (Sedol) – 0.0075
  • TOTAL – LIMITED FUNDS – 3.1590
  • Bond & Interest – 0.5939
  • TOTAL FOR ALL FUNDS – 3.7529
• Total Tax Rate Increase over 2004 – 2.79%
• [View 2004 Tax year Levies - actual total rate increase of 0.1019]

Public Comment
Question about Madrona, Cheryl Davis answered and stated that they had no direct answer at this time other than it would open fall of 2007.

Future agenda items:

• Discussion of the 2007 budget.
• Staffing Plan
• Official Levy Action