CALUMET CITY | The City Council voted unanimously last week to approve their end of a deal with local school districts to fight against a property tax challenge by the Sears store at River Oaks Shopping Center.

The council included in their 7-0 vote to approve 15 financial matters a measure that authorizes their attorneys to work with attorneys for Hoover-Schrum School District 157 and Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215. They will work to procure an appraisal they hope helps them in the fight.

The city and schools are at risk of losing property tax revenues from Sears, which claims it was overtaxed for a three-year period earlier in this decade. Cook County tax officials have ruled in favor of Sears for that three-year period, and are reviewing the company's claim the store also may have been overcharged in other years.

If overpayment is found to have occurred, the amount overpaid would be deducted from the shares of property tax revenues the city and the school districts would receive in future years.

City officials said the appraisal is meant to help justify municipal government's claim there was not significant overpayment of local taxes by Sears.

Should the council and the two school boards finalize the deal, they would split the cost of the appraisal. Officials could not say what the total cost of the appraisal would be.

Second Ward Alderman Magdalena "Leni" Wosczynski said she thinks it is good the city is working with the school districts to challenge the Sears tax appeal.

"We will need the two (school) districts' support," she said.

In other business, the council's unanimous vote also approved the awarding of a contract to pay $79,650 to Lansing-based Rose Cartage Services Inc.

Payment of $18,529.95 also was approved to Holland Asphalt Services for work they did on the parking lot for the police station and adjacent fire station, 1340 Pulaski Road. This payment brings the amount of money they have received to $121,329.64.