Wednesday, Aug. 21

 

Union appeals LDC closure

[AUG. 21, 2002]  The state’s largest public-employee union is appealing last week’s Health Facilities Planning Board decision allowing the closure of Lincoln Developmental Center. Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Human Services has already begun an aggressive campaign of pushing residents out of LDC and away from their families.

The appeal was filed Tuesday by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31. Joining AFSCME as parties to the appeal were parents and the local union president, Don Todd.

The filing asks the Logan County Circuit Court to rule that the planning board did not follow its own rules on when to allow a facility to close. The union also filed a separate motion asking the court to stay the board’s decision until the appeal can be heard.

On Thursday, planning board members cited a lack of state funds as the primary reason to approve the closure. Gov. George Ryan cut LDC’s appropriation even after the facility was fully funded by the state legislature.

Roberta Lynch, deputy director of Council 31, pointed out that the board’s mission is to ensure adequate health care services throughout the state.

"Nowhere in the Health Facilities Planning Act does it state that the board should consider how to fund a facility," said Lynch. "The planning board’s rules are very clear: Closing facilities must ensure that residents have alternative services in the area. Despite the department’s own admission that it is sending LDC residents as far away as Chicago, the board approved the closure."

 

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Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, of the 59th District noted that the funding problem was inflated by DHS in its presentation to the board.

"DHS clearly has the authority to transfer up to $100 million in appropriations this year — far in excess of what is needed to fund LDC," Bomke said. "Additionally, I and several of my colleagues have committed to working for a supplemental appropriation during the upcoming veto session."

LDC is moving residents out at a fast clip. Of the 153 residents remaining at the facility last week, 78 have been moved out already.

Lincoln Parents Association co-president Linda Brown added, "Unless a judge intervenes, DHS will move the remaining residents out by the end of the month."

Background on the governor’s effort to shutter Lincoln Developmental Center and Zeller Mental Health Center, along with eliminating services for the developmentally disabled at Singer Developmental Center, is available at the union’s Internet site, www.afscme31.org, using the search term "Lincoln Developmental Center."

[AFSCME Council 31 news release]


County expands enterprise zone,
issues Sept. 11 proclamation

[AUG. 21, 2002]  In votes on Tuesday night the county board added two properties to the enterprise zone, asked citizens to remember the heroes of Sept. 11 and added the final computer to a courthouse virus protection program.

Issues concerning a county coordinator and courthouse security cameras were sent to committee.

Following the lead of the city council on Monday night, the board voted to include 4.77 acres on Fifth Street Road and Lincoln Parkway in the Lincoln/Logan County Enterprise Zone. Logan Lanes and American Legion Post 263 occupy the site.

In July the board took a straw vote in favor of the inclusion. Since then the Regional Planning Commission has held a public hearing at which all speakers favored the proposal. Following the two local votes, the issue goes to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs for certification.

The enterprise zone is intended to encourage job creation. The rebuilt American Legion Post is expected to employ three people full time and five part time. Logan Lanes representatives have said their planned expansion will add two or three new employees.

 

Dan Fulscher, 911 director, read a resolution to honor those who died on Sept. 11, 2001. On the first anniversary of the tragedy, Logan County citizens are asked to fly flags at half-mast, wear black armbands and remember each of the four moments when a plane struck by observing a minute of silence. The four times are 8:45, 9:03, 9:41 and 10:10 a.m. In addition, church bells are to be rung and emergency vehicle lights and sirens turned on during those four minutes. Schools are asked to describe the strikes on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and the crash in Pennsylvania before observing the moments of silence.

Circuit Clerk Carla Bender informed the board about a bid from Viscon Networking Innovations to provide virus protection for county computers. The bid totals $11,443.26 but is divided by department. Each office is to be billed to protect its workstations and hard drives plus one-ninth the cost of shielding the e-mail system. All officials have already approved payment from their budgets except Sheriff Tony Solomon. Bender will cover the cost of the sheriff’s department’s one computer in the system.

The county board voted 8-3 to use building and grounds monies to pay for virus protection for board secretary Joanne Marlin’s computer. Doug Dutz, Paul Gleason and Jim Griffin opposed the measure. Dutz said he does not think it is legal to vote on an item not specifically listed on the agenda. Chair Dick Logan said the issue was included in the Building and Grounds Committee report. Roger Bock and Gloria Luster were absent from the meeting.

Another bid brought by Bender was sent to Building and Grounds. George Alarm in Springfield bid to provide four security cameras for the courthouse. Two would be placed on counters in Bender’s criminal and civil division offices and two on the second and third floors of the courthouse rotunda.

Bender said she wants the cameras to protect her staff, who deal frequently with people who have just heard unpleasant news, such as jail sentences or fines. She offered to pay half the cost from her budget. The price to lease the equipment is a one-time fee of $2,643 plus $80 a month for service and parts. The cost for outright purchase is $4,900.

In another issue ultimately sent to committee, chair Rod White and Dale Voyles of the Finance Committee asked for board direction on whether to continue researching the issue of hiring a county coordinator. After discussion, Logan directed the question to the Insurance and Legislative Committee. Voyles, who chairs that committee, objected and said the issue would resurface at Finance.

 

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Voyles and Dave Hepler circulated a job description modeled on the coordinator in Livingston County. According to the draft, the coordinator would report to the county board chair and be responsible for such functions as budgeting, purchasing, communication and controlling expenses. Costs would include salary of about $45,000 plus up to that amount again in benefits and office expenses.

"It will be new money," said White, asking for direction even though he does not expect a vote on the position this year. "I don’t want to put it in the budget unless the board says to look into it." If the board votes to hire a coordinator, the Finance Committee will have to find the funds. White said no one knows yet whether any other position would be eliminated or modified.

Voyles argued that the position would increase efficiency. A county coordinator could avoid duplication of effort and provide a readily available spokesperson for the county. The board’s responsibility is to give direction and set policy, he affirmed. The coordinator would implement decisions and run the day-to-day operation.

Hepler and Cliff Sullivan supported researching the concept. Sullivan echoed Voyles in saying a coordinator could reduce the load on board members. Logan, however, disagreed. "I think a board member is here to work, not just to vote," he said as he directed the issue to committee.

In other business the board

•  Voted to hire Hanson Professional Services to apply a porous friction course to one runway at Logan County Airport. In cracked areas, a new base will be laid and covered with an inch of asphalt containing coarser aggregate so water does not stand on the runway. The treatment, planned for 2003, is expected to extend runway life by eight to 10 years. According to the 90-5-5 funding formula, the county’s share of the approximately $300,000 project is $15,000 or less.

 

•  Learned that the Finance Committee has heard budget requests for fiscal year 2002-03 from The Oasis senior center, Community Action and Healthy Communities Partnership ($80,000 total), Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce ($25,000), J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum ($4,750), and Logan County Soil and Water Conservation District ($4,000, with $4,000 to be returned to the county for its soil survey). All but the Hawes request duplicate 2001-02 budget items. The Economic Development Council is asking for a $670,000 loan to buy ground for a commerce park, with repayment to come from lot sales. Half the lots must be sold to retire the loan.

•  Heard that Dick Logan, Lincoln Mayor Beth Davis and Highway Superintendent Tom Hickman met with staff of Sen. Peter Fitzgerald to ask for $13.5 million from the federal government to improve Fifth Street Road. Logan said money is available in 2004 for secondary roads.

•  Learned that, because distributions from the state are getting caught up, county revenues are nearing budget projections for this date, and expenses are 3 percent below budget.

•  Approved Logan’s appointment of Sullivan to the Finance Committee and White and Dutz to the team to negotiate the Health Department contract.

•  Heard that Illinois FIRST money for the Indian Mother statue project and for playground equipment for Scully Park is expected in the next few weeks. The workday at Scully Park has been rescheduled to Sept. 14.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

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