City commission approves resolution for county to create TIF within the city

The Madison City Commission has approved a resolution allowing for Lake County to create a tax increment financing district within the city of Madison.  City commissioners on Monday discussed the resolution, which allows Lake County to create the TIF for a project plan for infrastructure improvements for the expansion of the Manitou Group property.  The property is located south of 7th Street Southwest and east of Highland Avenue in Madison.  

City Administrator Jameson Berreth explained some of the details of the new TIF district  to commissioners. 

A couple of Lake County commissioners and Commission Administrative Officer Shelli Gust attended Monday’s meeting to address any questions from city commissioners.  Berreth asked if the county planned to use the funding received through the TIF as additional funding for work on the bypass road or as replacement funding.  Gust said that commissioners have not seen the project plan for the TIF yet so don’t know how much money it is expected to bring in.  She said there will not be any money in the TIF until 2027, and that commissioners now will not be able to bind future commissions with their decision.  

Mayor Roy Lindsay said that the county is limited in how they can generate funds, and that this TIF district is different from other ones that have been done in the city.

County commissioner Deb Reinicke said that county officials hope that this can be a start for them, because it is the only mechanism they have available to bring in additional funding.   

Berreth asked if a joint city-county commission meeting could be held to discuss the TIF and the plans for the bypass.  Reinicke said that would have to be decided by the full county commission.  

November 23, 2022