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 Finance matters
As part of the Finance Committee report, Chuck Ruben made a motion
to allow the Lincoln and Logan County Economic Development
Partnership to move their office into the John Logan Building next
summer. The Regional Office of Education will be vacating that
space. A straw vote resulted in tentative approval.
In addition, Ruben said he wants to pass, and put on display the
budget and tax levies for the next fiscal year. The documents would
be put on display for the public to see for the next thirty days.
Before the thirty days begin, board members can still make
amendments to the budget as necessary, but any changes in funding
will be have an effect on other areas of the budget. Ruben said that
any additional expenses would have to come from somewhere else in
the budget.
Board member Andy Anderson said he is planning on bringing forward
suggestions for changes at the next board meeting.
Board member Pat O’Neill made a motion to remove the funding from
the county for the Balloon Fest. O’Neill said he does not agree with
the separation of the Balloon Fest and the other events that
occurred on the same weekend this year and in the past. Currently,
the county provides $5,675 to help fund the festival.
Ruben said that if the funding is removed, it could be reinstated
later in the year. Rohlfs suggested that the line item for the
funding of the Balloon Fest could be reclassified as, “say,
community improvement. We could have discretion as to perhaps what
those dollars go to.” Rohlfs explained that they would be changing
the entitlement that comes along with that line item.
Ruben added that such a decision would belong to a committee rather
than the whole board, although he did not clarify which committee.
O’Neill withdrew his amendment following the discussion with the
intent to consider the alternatives. The board is expected to vote
on the budget display later in the month. At the previous finance
meeting, the fund balance for the budget came to a little over
$79,000. Ruben said he does not expect to see much of a fund balance
after next year, and that building the budget will become a lot more
difficult. “We’re back to tightening the belt,” said Ruben. “I want
people looking down the road.”
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Courthouse elevator repairs Kevin Bateman reported
to the County Board that the courthouse elevator will be shut down
beginning December 8th. Repairs and upgrades to the system should
take seven weeks to complete.
In addition, construction of the new Safety Complex HVAC system
would be started on the 15th of September, weather permitting.
Bateman said that since the last meeting, he has received a letter
stating that the county will be receiving a rebate of $9,850 on the
HVAC system.
Health Department administrative changes
David Hepler said that Diana Heyer, the current Health
Administrator, received a job offer for the same position with Macon
County. Heyer, a resident of Macon County, accepted the position. In
response, the Health Department approved the hiring of Don Cavi as
the new administrator. Cavi will take the job on December 27th, and
he is also the Director of Environmental Health.
“I appreciate the opportunity, and I look forward to working with
the Health Department and the community of Logan County,” said Cavi,
who was present at the meeting.
In addition, Hepler said that Paul Kasa, a member of the board of
Health, has decided to step down after his current term on the
board. Hepler said Kasa will need to be replaced at the end of the
year.
Board members present at the meeting were David Hepler, Chuck Ruben,
Gene Rohlfs, Robert Farmer, Jan Schumacher, David Blankenship, Pat
O’Neill, Andy Anderson, Kevin Bateman and Emily Davenport.
[By DEREK HURLEY]
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