Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget And Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Morton trustees approve tax levy, insurance renewal, personnel and code corrections
Summary
The board adopted Ordinance 26-13 setting a $2.89 million real-estate tax levy, approved insurance renewals with ~16% premium increases, authorized a police lieutenant position, funded two historical plaques with $12,000 in tourism funds, renewed a mowing contract, and passed municipal code corrections and utility-metering changes.
At its Nov. 3 meeting the Village of Morton board approved a group of budgetary, personnel and administrative measures including the annual tax levy, insurance renewals, a new police lieutenant position and several municipal-code changes.
Village Administrator presented Ordinance 26-13, proposing a total real-estate tax levy of $2,890,000 for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2025 and ending April 30, 2026 — an increase the administrator described as roughly $108,000, about 3.9 percent over last year. He also stated that because assessed values rose, the rate per $100 of assessed value would be approximately 0.4067; trustees voted to adopt the levy.
The board approved renewal of property/casualty and workers’ compensation insurance for the policy year beginning Dec. 1, 2025, with the administrator noting this year’s premium reflects roughly a $90,000 (about 16%) increase driven by higher equipment and building valuations and greater liability exposures.
Public-safety staffing was addressed: Chief of Police introduced Ordinance 26-12 to add a lieutenant position to the department (a tested appointment to be made by the Police & Fire Commission) to handle training coordination and supervisory duties as the department has grown from 22 to 27 officers; trustees adopted the ordinance.
Separately, the board authorized the expenditure of approximately $12,000 from tourism funds to purchase and install two historical plaques recognizing Morton’s status as the “pumpkin capital” (Libby’s facility) and the Evans Corner historic site. The proposal drew one recorded dissent (Trustee Cerulli), who questioned the likely tourism impact.
Staff also sought and received approval to renew the village’s 2026 mowing contract with Lawns and More LLC (waiver of formal bidding noted) with a 3 percent contractor increase, and the board adopted two public-works ordinances: Ordinance 26-15 extending the chargeable period for incorrectly metered gas to up to 18 months (allowing refunds or charges based on meter tests) and Ordinance 26-16 correcting a statutory fine amount for excavation-permit violations to $7.50.
Each item was moved, seconded and adopted by roll-call vote as recorded in the meeting transcript. Trustees also recognized the Morton Mentor Program and a student in the audience.
Next steps: the administrator and department directors will publish the adopted ordinances and implement the changes, including required notices for the levy and insurance renewals.
