City Council Makes Votes In Support Of Nashville Enterprise Zone

By Alex Haglund

The Nashville Enterprise Zone was successfully renewed for at least another 15 years, Nashville Mayor Raymond Kolweier told city council members at their first meeting of the new year, held on the evening of Thursday, January 7 at the Nashville City Hall.

The enterprise zone promises certain benefits to businesses that are within it, including abatement of sales taxes for purchased building materials, and exemption for other taxes. The Nashville Enterprise Zone is supported by the City of Nashville and by Washington County. In reapplying for Enterprise Zone status, these two public entities were assisted by Prairie State Power Generating Company, who helped to draft the application.

“This is a very good economic tool for the area,” Kolweier told the council.

“We will be in existence for at least the next 15 years,” Kolweier said, “possibly another 10 after that.” The reapproval establishes the zone for the 15 years Kolweier mentioned, after which the zone can apply for a ten year extension, as they did during the first period of the Nashville Enterprise Zone’s existence, which just concluded.

The council approved reappointing City Clerk Joyce Sheridan to the Nashville Enterprise Zone Board.

The council also approved a $1,500 “donation” to the Enterprise Zone.

“Where it says donation, it’s not really a donation but an obligation, actually,” said Kolweier.

To fund the enterprise zone for the year requires $3,000, which comes jointly from the city of Nashville and from Washington County, who will very likely also be approving a $1,500 donation.

For more information on Illinois Enterprise Zones, please visit www.illinois.gov/dceo/ExpandRelocate/Incentives/taxassistance/Pages/EnterpriseZone.aspx

Streets

Council member Terry Kozuszek stated that during the month of December, 10.9 tons of recyclables had been collected by the recycling truck.

Following Christmas and people discarding the leftovers from the holidays, “we had a lot of Christmas trees,” said streets superintendent Rich Schuette.

According to Schuette, in past years, excess Christmas trees picked up at the curb would be delivered to Washington County State Lake, where they would be sunk to provide cover for fish and other aquatic wildlife.

This year though, Schuette said that State Lake is doing something different and the city still has the trees.

“It would be nice to see them used,” said Schuette. “If anyone has a lake or pond and could use them, contact public works.”

Water and Sewer

“I was informed this week by Curry and Associates (Nashville City Engineers) and by Blaine (Middleton, City Utilities Superintendent) that the paint prep guys are out at the water plant,” said council member Doug Hargan, speaking about the paint work which was approved by the Council in December.

“It’s going to start soon, the progress part of it,” Hargan continued, “hopefully by Monday.”

Other

There will be no zoning board of appeals meeting for January. Schuette stated that there is a slim chance that there could be a planning commission meeting.

Police Chief Brian Fletcher stated that the city’s new K9 squad car is now equipped and on patrol.

Erik Rolf stated that the finance and insurance committee had met to discuss employee health insurance but that there was not anything ready to vote on yet.

“I’m sure some interesting conversations were had there,” Kolweier said.

Rolf also stated that the search for a new superintendent at the Nashville Municipal Golf Course was ongoing.

“They had asked that all of the applications be in by the end of 2015,” Rolf stated. There is no one ready for the council to vote to approve for the position yet. Rolf said that there were three, and maybe five people applying for the position.