Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tif Annexation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Geneva library and residents press Hampton Hills for transparency on annexation, TIF and impact fees
Summary
Library officials and residents told trustees they received insufficient outreach after annexation and urged impact fees and TIF transparency; trustees agreed to post FAQ materials and a public repository and to await an SB Friedman TIF eligibility report before pursuing a TIF.
Officials from the Geneva Public Library District and residents urged the Village of Hampton Hills to improve outreach and to address potential impacts from a recent annexation and a proposed TIF.
Christine Lazarus, director of the Geneva Public Library, told trustees that the library district had not been properly engaged in annexation negotiations. Lazarus asked the board to consider an impact fee of $95 per person and cautioned against using TIF funds in a way that would divert long-term property-tax revenue the library expects when farmland converts to residential parcels. Chuck Miles, treasurer of the Geneva Public Library District board, reiterated the library’s funding model (property-tax driven) and said annexation without impact fees could significantly increase the district’s service population and fiscal burden.
Trustees and village staff said some conversations had occurred with library counsel and that taxing bodies would benefit from a clear explanation of how a TIF works. Village counsel and the administrator reported that library counsel (Ken Florrie) had participated in discussions and that the village’s position was to negotiate impact arrangements if a TIF is ultimately created. Administrator and trustees also said SB Friedman (the board’s TIF consultant) will deliver an eligibility report in roughly 6–8 weeks that will determine whether the village can legally create a TIF; only after that finding would the village negotiate detailed terms.
Trustees committed to producing an online repository of meeting materials and to develop a frequently asked questions sheet, working with the consultant to clarify what a TIF is, who benefits, and how funds might be used if a TIF is created. They also discussed escrow accounting for developer reimbursements and confirmed there is an escrow and invoicing process to offset consultant and attorney work funded by developer escrow payments.
