Galesburg CUSD 205 trustees received an overview of the district's property-tax levy outlook and unanimously approved abatement resolutions and a tentative levy to carry forward into December.

Superintendent Dr. Asplund told the board the Property Tax Appeal Board in Springfield ruled in favor of Cottage Hospital, which reduced the district's taxable valuation and led to a $297,378 deduction from 2024 receipts. "Currently, right now, we had $297,378 deducted off of our tax receipts," Dr. Asplund said, adding the district expects an additional estimated reduction of about $293,966 for tax year 2025.

Dr. Asplund said pending Board of Review appeals could further reduce receipts by roughly $260,000, but he also flagged growing valuation from new renewable-energy projects in Knox County. "We have a new array coming on that's gonna be 4 megawatts in 2026, and then the Blackberry solar array, which is supposed to be around 50 megawatts, will be coming to the area," he said, noting each megawatt of new solar adds roughly $186,000 of equalized assessed valuation (EAV).

Board members were briefed on the timing constraints that shape levy decisions: county computation sheets sometimes arrive late, limiting the district's ability to reduce a levy after December. Dr. Asplund described the typical cycle: budget approvals in September, levy approval by December, and county adjustments in January through March.

On the agenda the board approved two abatement resolutions that allocate 1'cent sales-tax receipts to cover bond payments: one to abate $564,625 for the district's 2014 B-series alternate revenue bonds and another to abate $978,400 for the 2020 B-series alternate revenue bonds. The board also voted to move forward with a tentative levy request to be finalized after county EAV updates.

Next steps include verifying Board of Review decisions and final EAV computations with county assessors, applying any adjustments, and preparing a final tax levy for the board's December meeting.