 FinanceOn finance matters, committee chairman Chuck Ruben
reported on the status of the hotel-motel tax.
Lincoln took over the city portion of the hotel-motel tax
beginning Dec 1, 2013.
Ruben said $7,200 was left in the line item, and the committee
decided that those funds would be used for activities around the
courthouse.
It was recently realized that the Redwood Motel is not in the
city, and that tax does still go to the county. The to-date sum of
$44 has been sent from the city to the county and will go directly
to the county in the future.
As for the Atlanta hotel-motel tax, for now the county is sending
it to Atlanta. Atlanta will begin receiving their tax directly when
their ordinance is in place. They are setting up to do that now,
Ruben said.
The county would also take out $600,000 in anticipation warrants.
The funds are approved early in the fiscal year in case of a
shortfall of cash before property taxes come in later in the year.
That is not expected to happen this year, but the funds would be
available to the treasurer to use as a float to pay bills.
This is a common process that takes place from year to year, but
it did not happen last year as the county took out a $1 million bond
for major criminal cases. The money was then available for use in
the interim if needed.
Airport
Airport chairman Gene Rohlfs reported that the new rotating
beacon is now operating at the airport. The beacon is part of last
year's capital improvements program that primarily addressed
lighting all over the grounds to aid pilots finding and navigating
the airport at night.
The beacon light is much brighter than the former light, which is
good for pilots looking for the airport, but it seems the light has
a new angle and is now bothering some neighbors by shining in their
windows, even keeping some people awake at night. An adjustment
would be looked into.
Money for the "kitty"
Animal control chair Kevin Bateman reported that as part of
high-speed rail needs, the railroad would be purchasing a strip of
property behind the facility. The property has been valued at
$1,700. Bateman asked that the funds go into the animal control line
item.
Community Action
Community Action liaison Pat O'Neill said there was a lot of
discussion this past month. Many of the federally supported programs
the agency hosts are being cut down to what they were three years
ago. He named Head Start, Weatherization and Public Transportation
programs as subject to cuts.
In a review of the transportation program, there is an increase
in general public use but a decrease in senior usage. He said there
is a new taxi service that is free of charge for seniors and
provides door-to-door rides for important needs such as doctors'
visits.
Looking to the future, he said there is an urgent need with the
development of the new housing project in back of Wal-Mart. A route
around the main parts of town is being considered.
And, there are a number of area schools that have requested
public transportation availability for their students. They've heard
from MTI, Robert Morris, Lincoln Christian and a local school that
might put a few students on if it worked out to be more economical.
Currently, the program operates within a limited budget, and
transportation is offered only until 4 p.m.
In reference to the colleges, Andy Anderson elaborated that part
of the reason the program could not accommodate the schools is that
there are not enough vehicles now. Two to three more vehicles would
be coming in February 2015, and expansion of the program could be
considered then.
"All of them (the schools) are interested," O'Neill said. "You
have to have the vehicles to take them there first."
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Revisions of board policies and procedures
Jan Schumacher, who chairs the legislative committee, said that
the revised document of county board operating policies and
procedures (see PDF) is ready to be voted on. An initial document was approved
about a year ago to present to the state's attorney for his review
and recommendations. It was understood then that it would be some
time before he would have time, as there was a large trial at hand.
The new language includes changing the title of the full board's
first meeting of the month from "board of whole" to "workshop." This
meeting takes place on a Thursday. The following Tuesday has been
called the "adjourned" session, which would be called the "regular
board" meeting.
On another matter, O'Neill raised concern for when a committee
falls short of a quorum and cannot approve bills that need to be
paid.
Ruben explained that this does not typically cause a problem.
When the law enforcement and the buildings and grounds committees
met earlier in this month, weather prevented some members from
attending, and a quorum was not present. So, just prior to the board
of whole, both committees had brief meetings to conduct voting
business, which included approval of bills to be paid.
Employee insurance
Schumacher said that ongoing problems with Aflac have led the
insurance committee to decide to discontinue with that company. The
committee is first looking for a replacement company. Employees who
want to stay with Aflac would still be able to do so directly on
their own.
Also, Schumacher said she has been talking to the county's
consultant, Nancy Schaub of R.W. Garrett, about the health insurance
renewal that is coming up. Due to the turmoil industrywide created
by the Affordable Care Act, the county's current provider, Blue
Cross and Blue Shield, and most other insurance agencies are running
behind in being able to make bid proposals.
Liquor licenses
There typically is not a lot of change in liquor licenses that
are issued around the county. Like the city licenses, the number is
limited.
Bill Martin said that the Corn Crib out on south Route 121 near
Latham has closed. The owner has not made any decisions about his
license yet as he is debating whether to just close or the
possibility of selling.
Chuck Ruben added that there had been some question what would
happen with Tom's Lodge as the owner there died recently, but Ruben
had been notified by the family that they would be keeping the bar
open.
Development partnership
The interim position of development partnership director is being
filled by Bill Thomas, a businessman active in the Atlanta
community, Ruben said there are three new members of the development
partnership board: Jim Drew, Mark Houpt and Joe Ryan.
Bill Martin, who also served on the Logan County Regional
Planning Commission for many years, helping spearhead the latest
Comprehensive Plan and the more recently approved Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy, is serving as the county board's
representative on a newly forming regional economic development
association.
Martin said he'd been to the first meeting. After all this time,
it's starting to move along. The next meeting will be on Tuesday at
7:30 a.m. A potential new director would be presented at that time.
It would be a long day for Martin as that group meets in Peoria, and
it would be the same evening that the Logan County Board adjourns at
7 p.m. Martin is a resident of Atlanta.
The structure of the Peoria groups has changed since Logan County
began the process of joining with the regional group through CEDS.
The Heartland Partnership that was a part of the group broke off and
has continued its own direction.
Martin still has high expectations from the alliance. "I think
great things are to come," he said.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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