Fairbury Votes To Fund Land Bank

By Gordon HopkinsThe Fairbury City Council voted to approve an interlocal agreement that would have the city pay administration and operation cost for the recently created South Jefferson Land Bank.The vote, held at a meeting Tuesday evening, May 21, 2024, had been postponed from the previous meeting at the request of City Council President Kelly Davis, who expressed concerns about the city continuing to fund the land bank after having already contributed $150,000 earlier in the year. Fairbury City Attorney Kurth Brashear, with Rembolt Ludtke, indicated that initial funding was intended for the acquisition of property, not for operating costs.Brashear said, “The land bank is going to have operating costs. It’s a political subdivision. It can’t function without cost. And the interlocal agreement Fairbury and Endicott entered into provided for a mechanism to have those costs under the statute.” State Statute requires that the City of Fairbury partner with another municipalities to create a Municipal Land Bank. The Fairbury City Council voted to enter into an agreement with the Village of Endicott to partner in the land bank on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Fairbury contributed $150,000 towards the budget and Endicott the other $100. Brashear said costs would be billed to both municipalities. However, it is expected the bulk would the billed to Fairbury, “The mechanism that was approved in interlocal is, it’s based off of acreage in the land bank. At the moment, that’s de minimis (very small).“But as it goes forward, the assumption has kind of been from the beginning,” said Brashear. “That Fairbury is going to be the main site of property acquired for this. So, if it’s done on a pro rata basis, Fairbury is going to be billed for the majority of the operating costs.”Councilperson Phil Rogge asked, “So, what happens when our $150,000 runs out? Will we have to pump more in?” Councilperson Brian Schmidt said, “Hopefully, we’re in a position where we can be generating income by that point. If it runs out and we want to keep the program going, then, yeah, we’re going to have to.”Brashear noted that Fairbury City staff have been providing some services, which helps to reduce cost, “Erin (Reimer, City Clerk) and Laura (Bedlan, Development Services Director) have been very gracious, allowing time that they’re using as employees of the city to be used for land bank and up to a maximum amount. So it’s actually a lower cost.” Rogge expressed concern about the addition workload on city staff, “The problems I have with it is, and I appreciate the staff’s willing to do it, and that’s great. But we’ve got our staff stretched right now. I’m looking at their their weekly reports and what they do, they have got page after page of things that they’re keeping on top of and now we’re piling more.” Fairbury Mayor Spencer Brown responded, “Here’s what I would say to that. I think both of the ladies here in the room both know that if their workload is getting too much, they can say something and we can entertain adding more staff.” While the city council voted to pay for the land bank’s administrative and operational costs, the vote was not unanimous. Kelly Davis voted against the resolution, as did Councilperson Bradley Kuzezlka, who has been critical of the land bank from the very beginning.

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