Finance committee approves contract for expanded TID reporting

The Sheboygan City Finance and Personnel Committee approved a resolution authorizing city officials to engage Ehlers & Associates to prepare supplemental information for joint review board meetings on the city's tax incremental districts (TIDs).

City staff told the committee the service is intended to provide more detailed annual information than the city is already required to present. "This item is being brought forward, in an attempt to make sure that we're providing the public with as much information as we can," said city staff during the presentation. Staff said Greg Johnson, Ehlers' current representative, will attend next Monday's alderperson training to review current TIDs.

Committee members pressed staff on cost and accessibility. Staff said a full analysis costs $1,500 per TID and that minor updates would cost less; joint review board meeting attendance is a flat $500 fee. "These fees can actually be covered by the TID funds, so it's not coming from the general fund," staff said. A newly seated council member said the extra reporting would increase transparency and accountability and asked whether city employees or other officials could attend joint review board meetings; staff responded that the meetings are public and typically include city staff and the planning director and that the joint review board functions as an informational forum rather than an approval body.

Aldo Perella moved to approve the contract authorization; the motion was seconded and approved on a voice vote. The resolution instructs city officials to engage Ehlers to prepare supplemental TID information for upcoming joint review board meetings.

The committee did not direct any additional action beyond authorizing the engagement; staff said the supplemental reports will be used to inform future council consideration of TID-related items.