East Central Reporter

Jasper County Board met Aug. 15.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The County Board met in regular session on Thursday, August 15, 2024. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by proclamation according to law by Sheriff Francis. Sheriff Francis led a moment in silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. Members present were Chairman Jason Warfel, Vice Chairman Ron Heltsley, and Board Members Ben Bollman, Michael Geier, Jame Judson, A.C. Pickens, Jessica Schackmann, Eric Spiker, and Doug Weddell.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: None

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA: There was no objection, the agenda was adopted as distributed.

OLD BUSINESS Item C. – Jasper County Courthouse

The board voted unanimously to proceed forward with the demolition and new construction of the Jasper County Courthouse on the current site at the February 15, 2024, meeting. The board voted unanimously to select Architecture & Design Group, LTD. (ADG) and Stone & Waggoner Consulting Engineers as the Architectural & Engineering firm for the project at the March 21, 2024, meeting. The board voted unanimously to enter into an agreement for Architectural & Engineering services with ADG and Stone & Waggoner at the April 18, 2024, meeting. The board voted unanimously to move forward with a direct replacement of the Courthouse, meaning the judicial offices only at the May 16, 2024, meeting. ADG and Stone & Waggoner provided the County with a “Cost Considerations.” The calculated cost of a new courthouse was $5,299,800 with 10% contingencies being $529,980 for a total budget consideration of $5,829,780. Also at the May 16, 2024, meeting the board approved the formation of a Special Courthouse Design Committee. This committee has been established to work with ADG and Stone & Waggoner on designing the New Jasper County Courthouse. This process will take a few months. Once a design has been selected and approved by the County Board it will take some time to draw up the actual plans. Once plans have been drawn up the project will then go for bid. At the current timeline, no demolition/construction would start until late 2025/early 2026. Shannon Woodard with Stone & Waggoner updated the board on the progress. Woodard explained site restrictions, bubble diagrams, conceptual ideas have been worked on. ADG will present a floor plan in 60 days.

REPORTS:

County Departments:

Ambulance Department – 162 calls for service for July 2024 -911 – 75; Refusal/no pt contact – 24; Transfers/Discharges – 36; Mutual Aid assists – 27 One ambulance is down and possible fuel pump. A new ambulance is to be delivered next week. The remount will be done in a few weeks. The ambulance funds are looking good.

Highway Department – A reminder of the Electronic Recycling Collection Event is scheduled for Saturday, August 24, 2024. The construction of the West Liberty Road will be starting shortly after Labor Day. Approximately 75% of the Township oiling is complete and approximately 18 miles of county roads are left to be oiled. The construction of the Fox Township Bridge located on 400N approximately 1.25 miles west of State Highway 130 will be starting after Labor Day. Warfel had a question about selling items at the highway department on Saturdays. Deters said he has not approved anything and does not plan to; he will talk to the employees who are working Saturdays and tell them this is not something that should be allowed.

Health Department – July 22 was the last meeting, Building updates, the breakers have been installed. ADG is working on plans for the interior. The Olney office remodel is complete. The Cancer Support Group met and are meeting on the second Tuesday of the month 5-6 pm. September 23rd is the next board of health meeting.

County Positions/Services:

Building Maintenance – August 12, Martinsville Roofing completed repairs on the courthouse roof above circuit clerk’s office. Pickens met with Jeremy Haycraft on his first day as a full-time maintenance person. There needs to be an agreement with Haycraft on lawnmower usage and snow removal, and phone reimbursement. They will look at it and bring it to board. Judson gave the air quality test results. No toxic levels of mold, mercury vapor levels less than OSHA limits. The basement results were also ok.

Information Technology Consultant – Logan with Kemper said Field Wrxs has committed August 22 and 23 to bore in the fiber from the courthouse to the county building. Cameras and technology will not work. Logan thinks the phones will be able to be ok. Notices of limited availability will need to be posted on the doors of the courthouse and county building.

Animal Control – Austin Ferguson is in the process of working on next year’s budget. Plan to meet with State Veterinarian.

Elected Officials:

Treasurer- Reports from Bigard were sent in the board packet. The total income for July was $262,632.54. The expenses for July were $287,602.09. Total income less expenses for July a net loss of $24,969.55. Compares like last year. Year to Date income was $2,172,341.18. Less Expenses were $2,443,011.59 with a net loss of $270,670.41. Last year it was a net loss of $138,896, personal property income is less than last year. There was a spike in personal property and now salaries are being pulled out. 75% of the real estate taxes have been collected. The rest will be collected the next due date of September 15th.

Other Elected Officials/Offices – No additional information.

CONSENT AGENDA: The following items were on the consent agenda this evening Approval of County Board July 18, and August 7th, 2024 Minutes; Adoption of the Jasper County Trustee for Taxing Districts Resolution Delinquent Taxes Real Estate Program; Adoption of Non-Interest Inter-Governmental Loan Agreement Resolution Between the County of Jasper and the Jasper County Ambulance Service for the Purchase of a New Ambulance; File County Reports including Six Month Reports; and Allow Claims. There was no objection, the Consent Agenda was adopted.

OLD BUSINESS:

Item A. – County of Jasper/City of Newton Website - The County of Jasper/City of Newton website has been launched. You can visit the website by going to www.jaspercountyil.com or www.cityofnewtonil.com . Training meetings were held this week with website administrators, offices and departments to familiarize themselves with the new website. The objective for the new joint website is to serve the citizens of Jasper County and the City of Newton as a resource for governmental information related to the County and City. All citizens are encouraged to check out the new website. A big thank you to ImagineThis!, and all individuals who took the time to help contribute to the new website. A special thanks to the City of Newton for their partnership on this venture.

Item B. – 2024 Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program Courthouse Square Streetscape Improvements - At the March 21, 2024, meeting the board voted unanimously to proceed forward with a grant that would upgrade the street lighting and sidewalks on the county property of the courthouse square to look like the city property around the square. The Application period opened on Thursday, August 1, 2024, with applications being due by September 30, 2024. Milano & Grunloh Engineers, LLC has sent over the required paperwork and is assisting in the process.

NEW BUSINESS:

Items A. – Discussion/Consider Public Safety Tax Resolution for November 5, 2024 election - Recently Crawford County voted to place a public safety tax referendum on the ballot for November 5, 2024. A county board member has asked that the County of Jasper consider a similar referendum. The last day for the County Board to add a referendum to the November ballot is August 19, 2024, so action would have to be taken at the August meeting if a referendum is to be added in Jasper County. Illinois Statute 55 ILCS 5/5-1006.5 “A county board of any county may impose a tax upon all persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property at retail in the county on gross receipts from sales made in the course of their business for public safety purposes.” Public Safety is defined as crime prevention, detention, firefighting, police, medical, ambulance, or other emergency services. Additional information on the public safety tax is included in the board packet. The topic was discussed. Currently sales taxes is 7.25% some items are exempt. The amount can be increased by .25%. The school generates around $700,000-$800,000 with the 1% sales tax. Weddell says it is something to be looked into because of the increasing cost of public safety and unfunded mandates with the sheriff's department. Pickens asked about the surrounding areas tax rates. Warfel gave the numbers of the counties of the surrounding counties. The county would be in the top 10 in the state if a 1% tax would be added. A plan would need to be in place for where the funds would be spent. Clay and Richland County do have the safety tax. Spiker says he would like to see more counties around implement the tax. Bollman says the county already has a lot of tax and doesn’t think it will help growth of businesses. Judson says he is against it.

BOARD COMMENTS: Weddell went to the Snedeker Hope Trust health insurance meeting. He thinks others should have gone. Snedeker has moved negotiations of claims in house. They have hired more employees. Preferred network is what the employees need to go to because of the large amount of savings. Weddell says employees need to have a meeting to explain the importance of the cost savings to them to go to preferred network doctors.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS:

Upcoming Dates: JASPER COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT & FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION Saturday, August 17th, 1:00 p.m. Jasper County Courthouse Lawn; LOCAL OFFICIALS’ APPRECIATION PICNIC Saturday, August 17th Noon – 2:00 p.m. Illinois State Fair in Springfield, IL; ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT Saturday, August 24, 2024 from 7:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Unless the trailer is filled before at the Jasper County Highway Department; UNITED COUNTIES COUNCIL OF ILLINOIS DATES Fall Conference: October 25-26, 2024, Presidential Library & Museum Springfield, Illinois; SNEDEKER RISK MANAGEMENT 2024 FALL CLIENT CONFERENCE Wednesday, September 18 – Thursday, September 19, 2024, in East Peoria (RSVP by Aug. 20); FY2025 BUDGET WORK Budget work is currently underway on the FY2025 County Budget. A Budget will be displayed at either the September 19th or October 17th with final vote and consideration to take place the following month.

EXECUTIVE/CLOSED SESSION: - The board had an executive/closed session to consider the following subjects: Personnel and Litigation there will be no action taken following executive/closed session and the board will adjourn the meeting from executive/closed session. Geier moved for the board to enter an executive session under the following exceptions: Personnel (exception 1) and Litigation (exception 12). Weddell seconded the motion. A Roll Call vote was taken with Bollman, Geier, Heltsley, Judson, Pickens, Schackmann, Spiker, Warfel and Weddell voting yes. The Board entered an Executive Session at 6:47 pm. Geier moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 pm. Weddell seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote. The meeting was adjourned from executive session.

The Next Board Meeting will be on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.

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