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Source: The Telegraph, Alton, Ill.儲存Jan. 09--GODFREY -- Tri-City Port District's leaders opened discussion with riverfront municipalities' elected officials as the district began talking about expansion."Nothing is taking place today; there's a lot of discussion, a lot of talk," said Tri-City Port District Executive Director Dennis Wilmsmeyer Wednesday. "Typically port districts are located along the river but it doesn't have to be. Their geographic jurisdictions take many forms; ours is small here. Some are made up of four or five counties, but because a district is large doesn't mean it's more active."To expand the current boundaries of the Tri-City Port District, state legislators have to pass a law that says they have revised the boundary to include new areas. Now leaders are trying to find out the interest level of municipalities including Godfrey, Alton, Wood River and Grafton.The Tri-City Port District do not currently levy a tax, but if they chose to, they could ask voters to approve a tax, Godfrey Township Supervisor Doug Mueller explained. It would be up to port district leaders to decide whether to ask for a levy, which the Tri-City Port District never has had in its 50-plus year history, Mueller said Wednesday.Mueller brought up the subject of port expansion at Tuesday night's monthly township meeting. He asked township trustees, who also serve as village of Godfrey trustees, to consider having the port district's newly hired consultant, former Alton Mayor Tom Hoechst, to come to a future meeting to discuss what expansion includes and how a port district operates.Wilmsmeyer described Tri-City Port's activities as involved in its current geographical area as a landlord and property owner that leases office space and attracts companies to locate their buildings, which is how it supports the district. Businesses within the district hire employees thereby creating jobs."We do have river or harbor operations within our jurisdiction at the facility but we hire operators to handle that side of the business for us," Wilmsmeyer explained.Even if new 迷你倉unicipalities get included in a port district, voters can vote down a tax levy proposed by a district."I brought up the tax question because that is me and other elected officials being diligent on residents' behalf; at this time, I feel it would be a positive to be involved," Mueller said.The Tri-City Port is not a river or harbor operation but essentially an economic development entity that carries out a mission to create jobs and enhance transportation in its 77-square-mile district. The entity's leadership hired Hoechst to work with them to investigate the possibility for expansion of the Tri-City Port District.Wilmsmeyer said taxpayer money does not support the Tri-City Port District; across the United States, about 98 percent of public ports are not tax-supported.A port district is a municipal corporation, organized under state law and typically is governed by a locally elected board of commissioners. The district can be as large as an entire county or as small as a city or town; its boundaries are defined when it is formed.Port activities and functions are financed in a variety of ways including lease-rental fees, other charges for services and the use of land and other facilities; property tax levies; proceeds from bonds sold for capital project construction; and grants and gifts.Wilmsmeyer said the process to expand is not necessarily a short or easy process because it requires legislative action.Tri-City Port District leaders have been active throughout the country through the National Trade Association to help start up other Illinois port districts."The opportunity might be there, but no funding," Wilmsmeyer said. "We help show them how to get started, a district is created, and then handed to the local area; they need staff, resources and funding. So through the association we show them how to apply for grants and start with basically nothing and create something."jmoon@civitasmedia.comCopyright: ___ (c)2014 The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) Visit The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) at .thetelegraph.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage