[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6233596,"mediaKeyId","3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42","parentId",3417882,"title","Assessors’ performance and rising multipliers dominate LaSalle County discussion; state’s attorney cautions on prosecutions","audioSeconds",2230,"startMs",3755000,"endMs",5985000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42&start=3755&end=5985","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42/thumbnail_3755000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6233596/LaSalle-County/Illinois/Assessors-performance-and-rising-multipliers-dominate-LaSalle-County-discussion-states-attorney-cautions-on-prosecutions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233596-d02499e77e1f2b0490f93b4d770efd65/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442926&Signature=LSV9UdCijvThfPjHgRWVAvFnCsZ84WbbtUcJqMJhpOaq3HO9uXEW1~chylshdsh-A8HXUi2uze0lszAOHGv09tmjrvW53sBfHrbVgsWJQz6flm~S3RhKx~xuYT5uHsmR5rPMeTZVS8IYSf8Tm1lefHeGh0-4Hh-0PQhhfWWZq1GUHhG5uOUAb0Ght8nQkd~MABlJWKxXbyX9p1qtJDc6lZqmcMonn0aeDRdJvP3NoOKOW4rPVdIMDvw9QtcDUp4Ko9TDTkMxSXyTJzBbQjqrZOuxFDtigyhDqaBRrwHt5k7Cq~klKKbR5rK2hu6~O8bbS5UNn9wz4B7XTB8ZaizH~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","LaSalle County, IL","date","2025-05-21T07:53:59.29Z","article","At the May 20, 2025 meeting, the LaSalle County official who oversees assessment reporting told the Taxation, Election & GIS Committee that the county’s final multiplier for the 2024 tax year is 1 and that the sales‑ratio data the office received showed growing market values and uneven assessment work in multiple townships.

The assessment official said some townships lacked sufficient sales data (25 sales required to receive an independent township study) and that lower counts force the state grouping “all others” for ratio calculations. The official said Rutland Township had 56 sales in 2024 but that a cluster of sales tied to a new subdivision (Heritage Harbor) made comparability uneven; she reported a roughly $2.37 million difference between expected assessed value and sales totals in that township’s sample and said the pattern points to assessors not completing required quadrennial duties.

Board members pressed for accountability. One board member asked if the state would pursue enforcement; a representative of the State’s Attorney’s Office (referred to in the meeting) said criminal prosecution of elected assessors is legally fraught and would require careful fact‑finding and identification of victims. He suggested a targeted, documented letter to township boards and potential meetings involving county leadership and the state’s attorney to make deficiencies public and describe potential consequences.

Committee members recommended stepped responses: documentation of deficient townships, direct letters under county leadership and, if warranted, a meeting with the state’s attorney to discuss legal remedies. Several board members urged the county to consider misdemeanor or felony statutes for official misconduct where appropriate, but the state’s attorney cautioned that charging an elected official is a serious action that requires substantial proof and legal evaluation.

The assessment office also briefed the committee on internal staffing and an upcoming retirement timeline: the assessment official said she will retire on Aug. 8 and that a staffing and training plan is in place. The office said training and a state‑administered certification test schedule will follow the Department of Revenue calendar.

No formal enforcement motions were adopted at the meeting; the committee asked staff to compile documentation of problematic townships and to pursue a meeting with the state’s attorney to determine next steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Taxes, Election, GIS 5-20-2025","oneSentenceSummary","County assessment staff warned of high multipliers and uneven assessments in several townships; board members pressed for stronger enforcement of assessor duties and suggested letters or other action, while the state’s attorney said criminal prosecution of elected assessors would be legally complex.","taxTitle","LaSalle County, Illinois","taxId",59330,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6233600,"County clerk plans texting service, polling‑place moves and voter outreach ahead of next election",369,1671000,2040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42&start=1671&end=2040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42/thumbnail_1671000.jpg","/articles/6233600/LaSalle-County/Illinois/County-clerk-plans-texting-service-pollingplace-moves-and-voter-outreach-ahead-of-next-election","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233600-34a23d57d7d68ebc62f1cd51b2b77405/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442926&Signature=hiczX~4E1xmX2nkn3uTo8V0BaM~fw4njN0hCRhEtuoPZGDT6j65CdG1m8Q90dO4e-p5v~nUH6zgE0YWXGYteVjxNr4kJQOCR06Aps3NT~nNa9qt7EQZ8nWerrgNmTpDyO3asYQMquLFZ0F7bHP~jejcEG7q4TNkONEi9YX97QJnuepj7M8CMMv8ru1fSWu-PviZq6as46zvwLX8J3rWh4bjX6n0qKvtBemCyhUijpHzkkGyJ-XLQiZoPwbJshOwPsS~rtSp9nAcqsMlv24hdufH37EU4i92yQj-2PsT9Nc6jhpmpSxzuPdmZjXZ0zofSszjth2iZPkOQP4BibCIBsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the May 20, 2025 Taxation, Election & GIS Committee meeting, the LaSalle County Clerk (speaker identified in remarks as County Clerk) detailed several election‑administration proposals: a commercial text‑message service for communicating with election judges and opt‑in voters; alternative polling places for two Seneca precincts after the county lost access to a fire‑station facility; and plans to include polling‑place notices in the June voter mailing tied to the statutory purge.

The clerk said she met with a vendor called Text My Gov; the quoted cost was about $10,500 for the first year (which includes a setup fee) and about $7,000 per year thereafter, including 75,000 text messages annually. The clerk said the tool’s primary function would be to send reminders and assignments to election judges but could also allow registered voters to opt in for polling‑place or early‑voting reminders.

The clerk told the committee that the county was notified that the Seneca fire station — used previously as a polling place and storage site — will be unavailable beginning with 2026 elections because the building is being remodeled and the room used for voting will be removed. She said her staff has identified two alternatives: Seneca Village Hall and the old high school; staff will visit both locations and decide which venue can serve two precincts (Manlius 1 and Manlius 4) and provide storage for election equipment.

Because the county prepares a mass mailing of voter cards in mid‑June as part of the required biennial purge, the clerk said she wants to include a separate, enclosed letter advising affected voters of any polling‑place change rather than relying solely on the voter card or website notice. The clerk estimated the two precincts together comprise roughly 800 to 1,500 registered voters and said placing a letter in the June mailing would be more likely to draw voters’ attention.

On other election matters, the clerk said the office is preparing to post a poll‑book bid for state review and that only one vendor had provided a comparable response so far. She also reported that the clerk’s office will continue to prepare and mail certificates of election to winners of elections, citing a state statute that requires the county to make those certificates available upon application; the clerk said mailing the certificates has been a longstanding local practice and that about 560 certificates were mailed after the last election (mailing cost roughly estimated by staff at several hundred dollars).

The committee discussed process questions, including whether a polling‑place change needs a full‑board resolution before the June mailing; the clerk said she would bring the selected polling‑place recommendation to the full board in June so the letter can be included in the purge mailing. There was no formal committee vote on the texting service procurement or the polling‑place decision at the meeting.

The clerk said she will continue to refine costs and present a recommendation to the committee or full board as appropriate.","LaSalle County Clerk told the committee she is exploring a paid texting tool for election communications, must relocate two Seneca precincts after a fire‑station remodel, and plans to include polling‑place notices in the June mass mailing required by state purge rules.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6233605,"LaSalle County committee reviews trustee-led sale of Utica water-park property",1023,533000,1556000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42&start=533&end=1556","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3417882-01f4a0b2965eddd837376fc51f13bd42/thumbnail_533000.jpg","/articles/6233605/LaSalle-County/Illinois/LaSalle-County-committee-reviews-trustee-led-sale-of-Utica-water-park-property","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6233605-9aacac2145dfea40b45b12a5df87a542/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442926&Signature=oMXxffCCO64txIkrjVInJxtJkMPuq0whwaZ~adRhgymDFr3NC~He5dQ8dhNIjoI2dfT7sSzBd5~KYRFpLoTeLOd0xIyJCC2P6BLF3k0wNJOaH63hIGeKXzvv0sBUgHdI3d~MKnUF2keTctaOW1pjfQqc99~rcy3YQ-p6Btw0mv0CM0oyfGIjzjnXf9jt7UHBne~Z0a~KgRbmG7VkBQRXrLEUR8DpKuV5JGZJ8HwaA6eJ-lgihB50XEIgg3MsOXumCIshFEUozGJ7OUsNruQpF0U9pi9CH4e04gDOANBbDwQ4W6Yl2fRQ7BAwfOE1uWfP6Eo~3k6TdacOzHmgf3sWeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the May 20, 2025 meeting of the LaSalle County Taxation, Election & GIS Committee, Treasurer Mr. Spellman said a tax‑trustee has taken deed to a large, damaged water‑park property near Utica and recommended moving toward a trustee‑run special sale so the parcel can return to the tax rolls.

The property, described during the meeting as the large white building next to the water park (referred to in materials as Grand Bear/Grand Bear water park), had been in bankruptcy and tax sale proceedings for years, Mr. Spellman said. He told the committee that the trustee (Joe Meyer) had recently completed the deed process and that the trustee — not the county — holds title and will oversee any sale.

The discussion matters because a sale would return the property to the tax rolls and could reduce ongoing vandalism and policing costs, committee members said. County staff also flagged limits tied to the City of Utica’s zoning rules that would restrict what buyers could do with the site unless the buyer sought a zoning change or variance.

Mr. Spellman summarized the trustee’s options and the site’s condition. “The good news is, we finally got the property back because it has been in tax sale for years and years,” he said. He described two parcels that must be sold in tandem, noted the building is “beat up bad,” and said there are at least two parties who have expressed interest. He added that the trustee may accept sealed bids and that advertising or covenants could require a buyer to follow through on redevelopment within a stated timeframe.

County staff and the committee discussed procedural limits. Mr. Spellman said the trustee must follow statutory and trustee procedures for disposing of tax‑sale property and that the county is the beneficiary of sale proceeds but does not hold title. A county staff member added that Utica police have responded to calls at the vacant property and that the city may have condemned portions of the structure, which affects what buyers can do without city approvals.

Committee members and staff debated whether the county should set a minimum bid or include covenants in sale documents. Mr. Spellman said he did not know a recommended minimum and that the trustee could “decline” unqualified bids. A staff member suggested involving county counsel and the trustee’s counsel to draft sale terms that align with Utica’s zoning limitations.

No motion or formal vote was taken on a sale at the committee meeting. Mr. Spellman said he would contact Joe Meyer’s office and coordinate with county counsel and city representatives to clarify next steps; the committee did not adopt a sale resolution or direct a specific minimum price.

The committee received printed materials and photographs of the property for review. Staff said a special sale could be arranged outside the county’s standard November tax‑sale calendar if the trustee and county agree on marketing and covenants.

The committee plans to continue working with the trustee, county counsel and the City of Utica to clarify sale terms, zoning restrictions and how proceeds will be distributed if the trustee proceeds with a sealed bid process.","Committee members heard that a tax-trustee has taken deed to a large, damaged water‑park building in Utica and may run a special sealed sale; county officials discussed zoning limits, trustee authority and next steps but took no formal action.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Assessors’ performance and rising multipliers dominate LaSalle County discussion; state’s attorney cautions on prosecutions

County clerk plans texting service, polling‑place moves and voter outreach ahead of next election

LaSalle County committee reviews trustee-led sale of Utica water-park property