Editor’s note: The date of a Council tax vote was corrected to read on Monday, February 24, 2025.
By Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey
The Morrison City Council convened on Monday, February 10, 2025, without Councilman Buckner in attendance.
Kim Ewoldsen and Ken Burn presented details and the success path that the SVCC Impact Program has experienced and seeking continued support from the Council and the community of Morrison. The program allows students to earn college tuition while serving the local community, via their volunteer efforts in High School. Currently over 60% of the eligible Morrison High School students are participating, and the hopes are to grow this number in the future.
The Council followed with much discussion related to a recent reimbursement request from the Building Improvement Program. Aided by contributions from Barb Bees of the Historic Preservation Commission, the Council approved a $5000 reimbursement to Peter Hembrough (American Financial) for improvements made to the Main Street building, by a 4-2 vote.
Morrison Community Hospital requested a special road-use agreement for the period necessary to complete the construction of the hospital addition. The agreement closes E. Knox Street during construction and requires all facilities to be returned in original condition upon the construction completion. The construction agreement was approved by a 6-0 vote. The MCH agreement vote was followed by considerable discussion, concerning the sanitary line extension needed to serve the proposed hospital addition.
Discussion followed related to the proposed “Non-Home Retailers’ Occupational Tax and Service Tax” for the City of Morrison. Sections 1 and 2 of the proposed Ordinances read as follows:
Section 2. Non-Home Rule Municipal Retailer’s Occupation Tax Imposed; A tax is hereby imposed upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property, other than an item of tangible property titled or registered with an agency of this State’s government at retail in this municipality at the rate of 1.00% (can be [0-.25%] or [0.50%] or [0.75%] or 1.00%]) of the gross receipts from such sales made in the course of such business while this Ordinance is in effect. The imposition of this tax is in accordance with and subject to the provision of Section 8-11-1.3 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS5/8-11-1.3).
Section 3. Non-Home Rule Municipal Service Occupation Tax Imposed; A tax is hereby imposed upon all persons engaged in the business of making sales of service, incident to a sale of service. The rate of this tax shall be the same rate identified in Section 2, above. The imposition of this tax is in accordance with and subject to the provision of Section 8-11-1.3 of the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS5/8-11-1.3).
The full Ordinance 25-02 Implementing a Non-Home Municipal Retailer’s Occupation Tax will be presented for a Council vote at the next Council meeting on Monday, February 24, 2025.
In closing, the Council approved non-agenda change orders for repairs recently found in the public works renovation project, correcting existing structural weaknesses in the existing structure.