Normal Town Council approves property tax levy and advances fitness court project

Image courtesy of the Town of Normal 

NORMAL, Ill. – The Normal Town Council met Monday evening, approving the 2025 Property Tax Levy and the installation of a fitness court in Rosa Parks Commons.

A motion to authorize the preparation of the 2025 property tax levy ordinance was brought before the council.

Normal City Manager Pamela Reece opened the discussion by introducing the motion.

“We are seeking an increase in the dollar amount equivalent to 4.78% more than last year’s levy,” Reece said. “That dollar amount reflects an increase in the police pension funding obligation, the fire pension funding obligation, our IMRF, which is our pension program for non-public safety employees, and then Social Security and Medicare. Those are the four pension-related funding obligations that we’re seeking through the property tax, and then an additional half million dollars for general fund and supportive operations,” Reece continued.

Reece is asking the council for a total property tax levy of $15.7 million, with $11.337 million for the Town of Normal and $4.37 million for the Normal Public Library.

Council Member Scott Preston supported increasing police and fire pension funding as Normal continues its pathway towards 100% funding by 2040.

“The $500,000 of property tax money that’s in the general fund is something that I’ve had issues with in the past and continue to have some consternation on here, especially as costs continue to rise for people coming in from about every direction now, as people live their lives, the affordability crisis that so many are facing,” Preston said. “It’s at a time when people don’t need more increased taxes and fees. I will not be supporting it tonight.”

Council Member Kathleen Lorenz said she did not recall seeing such an increase for the library in the past and asked why we are seeing about a 9% increase.

Reece mentioned that property tax is the Normal Public Library’s only revenue stream and gave some insight into the tax increase.

“The library has been finishing up its renovation project and using reserves,” Reece said. “This is a part of the strategy to help them build back their reserve level.”

Lorenz shared her concerns regarding the $500,000 in general funds not assigned to a specific issue, referring to the unassigned $500,000 as “pork.”

“The new average age of a first-time homeowner has reached 40, and we’re not making it any easier. We are heavily taxed,” Lorenz said. “If we could have a reason and a specific reason to do that, that we plan to program this $500,000 for, I would be happy to hear that. I’m just asking that we bifurcate or trifurcate how we take the vote because I feel like the $500,000, in simple terms, is pork,” Lorenz said.

Council member Kevin McCarthy voiced his support for the motion, emphasizing the increase in police and fire pensions.

“We have one funding proposal in front of us tonight. Voting yes is yes, I will fund the pensions. Voting no is no, I will not vote to support funding the pensions,” McCarthy said. “That’s all that’s in front of us tonight. It’s a very cut-and-dry decision for me. I will be supporting funding pensions.”

Preston responded to McCarthy’s comment, calling it “just not accurate at all.”

“A ‘yes’ vote tonight is voting on the single proposal that is with us. A ‘no’ vote tonight, in my case, is voting no to the additional $500 000 that is just going to the general fund as part of the big pool, not going to pensions at all,” Preston said.

McCarthy made a motion to adjust the proposal to move the $500,000 out of the general fund down into the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF).

McCarthy’s motion was approved, and the tax levy was approved with only a ‘no’ vote from Preston.

A resolution authorizing participation with the National Fitness Campaign for the installation of a fitness court in Rosa Parks Commons was also brought before the council Monday evening.

This item had been presented to the council and withdrawn in the past. Reece explained that the location was selected because of its trailhead, parking and nearby traffic.

There are 34 similar installations of fitness courts currently in Illinois. Reece encouraged the council to approve the resolution to see if Normal can get the state grant for the project.

Council Member Karyn Smith confirmed that the court is ADA accessible and asked if private instructors interested in using the court would be charged.

Parks and Recreation Director Doug Damery answered Smith’s question.

“That hasn’t really actually been decided yet at this point, but the idea was to make it available to other organizations within the community to just promote not only their business, but also fitness in general,” Damery said.

During the discussion of the project, Lorenz explained this disapproval further and questioned the liability of the installment.

“I appreciate you bringing forth an innovative and creative idea,” Lorenz said. “I don’t see this as mission-critical. I see points of what you’re trying to accomplish as being something we already do in some of our classes, as well as the amenity of the trail itself.”

Corporation Counsel Jason Querciagrossa, Reece and Damery all confirmed that liability was not a concern for this project. McCarthy shared his support for the resolution.

“I think it’s a great community project, fitness benefits, an asset to a park kind of adjacent to the trail where a lot of people use to get around,” McCarthy said. “One of the things I like about this project is that it’s public. It encourages families to exercise and be active together, and it’s free, so it’s available to all levels of socioeconomic status in our community.”

The resolution was approved with only Lorenz in disapproval.

The Normal Town Council meets every first and third Monday of each month. The next meeting will take place Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. on the fourth floor of Normal City Hall.