Princeton council adopts municipal grocery tax, advances building-code and equipment-sale ordinances

The Princeton City Council on Jan. 6, 2025, approved Ordinance O-24-023 to implement municipal grocery retailers and municipal grocery service occupation taxes and advanced three other ordinances, including moving the city’s building-code update to a second reading.

The measure to create the grocery retailer and service occupation taxes passed on its second and final reading after council discussion. A staff member told the council: "It'll need to be filed by October 1st. . . . It goes into effect January of 2026." The council then approved the ordinance by roll call.

The council also approved routine business: it accepted the minutes from the Dec. 16, 2024, regular meeting and approved invoices totaling $1,143,851.96, which the city clerk presented by department: $57,247.30 for Accounts and Finances; $170,663.92 for Streets and Public Improvements; $299,316.70 for Public Safety; and $616,624.31 for Public Property and Utilities. City Clerk Janet Henning read the figures during the meeting.

On first readings and procedural votes, the council advanced Ordinance O-25-001 (authorizing the sale of personal property no longer needed by the city) to a second reading. Theresa (staff) described the items proposed for sale as several recent Lexmark printers, listing model numbers and noting photos were included in the packet. The council also moved Ordinance O-25-002 (adopting the 2021 International Building Code, 2021 International Residential Code and related 2021 model codes) to a second reading. Michael Ziering, planning and zoning coordinator, said the city currently operates under the 2003 code and that state requirements prompted the 2021 update: "This ordinance is a pretty standard code update ... we needed to update to 2021 by this year. So we're on track for that here." The council advanced Ordinance O-25-003, which would allow and govern pollinator gardens and native planting areas, to a second reading after planning staff explained definitions and maintenance requirements tied to Illinois Department of Natural Resources guidance.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (Dec. 16, 2024): passed (roll call recorded as Newman — Aye; Gomez — Aye; Trancy/other recorded as Aye; Mary Crease/Avery — Aye). - Invoices totaling $1,143,851.96: passed (roll call recorded as Newman — Aye; Gomez — Aye; McRankee — Aye; Mary Avery — Aye). - Ordinance O-24-023 (municipal grocery retailer/service occupation taxes), second/final reading: passed (roll call recorded as Newman — Aye; Gomez — Aye; McGransky/Gransky — Aye; Mayor Mabry — Aye). Effective filing: must be filed by Oct. 1; effective Jan. 2026. - Ordinance O-25-001 (sale of personal property), first reading advanced to second: passed on procedural motion (vote recorded as Newman — Aye; Gomez — Aye; Grant/No — recorded; Mayor Mabry — Aye). - Ordinance O-25-002 (adopt 2021 model building and fire codes), first reading advanced to second: passed (roll call recorded as Newman — Aye; Gomez — Aye; McCranksy — Aye; Mayor Mabry — Aye). - Ordinance O-25-003 (pollinator gardens/native plant areas), first reading advanced to second: passed (roll call recorded as Newman — Aye; Gomez — Aye; Miss Grantee/Gransky — Aye; Mayor Mabry — Aye).

Council members did not propose amendments to the measures recorded during the meeting. Several items moved by motion were procedural (advance to second reading) rather than final adoptions except for O-24-023, which passed on second reading.

Background and context

Council members and staff said the grocery tax ordinance must be filed well ahead of the effective date to comply with state processes and tax-administration timelines. Staff said the city is updating older local code language and cited training and resource availability as reasons to adopt the 2021 model codes now rather than move directly to 2024 model codes. The pollinator-garden ordinance was drafted with input from local volunteers and a community expert, and it references the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ definitions to distinguish native planting areas from unmaintained overgrowth.

The meeting adjourned with a motion to reconvene Jan. 20, 2025, at 6 p.m.