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Financial matters
The big talk of the night at the Logan
County Board meeting was the new budget. Copies of the budget were
not available yet but will be provided at next Tuesday's meeting.
Finance committee chairman Chuck
Ruben said, "It isn't pretty." He explained that years of revenues
falling off have put the county in this position. At the end of the
next budget it is expected that there will only be $200,000
remaining in the general budget.
To aid in recovering some of the
revenue losses, economic development chairman Terry Werth said there
will be a 0.5 percent retail sales tax added to the April ballot.
The tax is usable for public safety.
Based on current figures, each 0.25
percent is expected to yield $400,000, for a sum of $800,000.
Choosing a retail sales tax, Werth explained, distributes the draw
to everyone and avoids burdening the local population, such as if
property taxes were raised.
If adopted, the tax would not go
into effect until September and returns would not be seen until the
budget after next.
The budget will go on display in the
courthouse for 30 days and then can be adopted. For this reason,
next month's county board voting session will be on Thursday, Nov.
18, rather than Tuesday the 16th.
Board Chairman Dale Voyles announced
a reorganization of committees whereby committees will retain their
separateness but meet consecutively on the same evening. This is
maneuver is anticipated to save the county an estimated
$7,500-$8,000 per year. The savings will come by reducing travel
stipends provided for committee members.
Each of the committees will have the
same six members. They may have the same or a different committee
chairman and will conduct separate meetings held consecutively on
the same evenings.
Board member Paul Gleason, who has
had a lot of experience, expressed concern that meetings might get
too long to be effective if you have two or three meetings combined.
Meetings deteriorate after two hours and really long ones can get
silly, he said.
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Voyles responded that he didn't
think this would be a problem, given the particular combinations
that he's put together. Most committee meetings last 30 to 45
minutes and meet monthly. However, some committees meet less often
than monthly or even only as needed, such as Public Aid Appeals.
Thirteen committees will meet in the
following five groupings:
- Airport and Farm with Roads and
Bridges
- Buildings and Grounds with
Insurance and Legislative with Liquor
- Public Aid Appeals with Community
Action
- Government Education with Main
Street with Tourism
- Executive/Economic Development
with Personnel with Safety
Balloon fest relocating
It's official. The balloon portion
of the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival is moving out to the Logan
County Airport. County board airport chairman Bob Farmer said the
chamber of commerce and county reached an agreement to allocate 25
acres at the north end of the airport grounds. 2005 balloonists will
have ample space to set up their voluminous aircrafts. The new
location will allow more balloons to be inflated at one time,
providing spectacular mass ascensions and stunning evening glows.
Plans will continue to be developed throughout the year.
Other news
A supplement to the new Sangamon
County, Elkhart, Lincoln/Logan County Enterprise Zone agreement will
be signed on Tuesday that allows Elkhart a vote in matters of the
proposed enterprise zone in Elkhart.
Employees at Logan County Animal
Control will dress up and distribute candy for Halloween. The
facility will be open during trick-or-treat hours: 5-8 p.m. Sunday,
Oct. 31. There will be no standard business services during that
time
[Jan
Youngquist]
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