March Logan County briefs: Wessbecher sworn in, economic development, Dock Dogs, courthouse lactation room and more

 

[March 29, 2019] 

On Tuesday, March 19, the Logan County Board held its Regular monthly voting session heard brief committee updates.

Members present were Board Chairman Emily Davenport, Vice chairman Scott Schaffenacker, Kevin Bateman, Dave Blankenship, Janet Estill, Bob Farmer, David Hepler, Steve Jenness, Chuck Ruben, Bob Sanders, Annette Welch and newly appointed member Jim Wessbecher.

Board appointments

Wessbecher was sworn in by Logan County Clerk and Recorder Theresa Moore at the beginning of the meeting. He is filling the seat left open when Gene Rohlfs resigned in February to become manager of the Logan County Airport.

Chairman Davenport nominated David Blankenship to fill the role of Airport and Farm Committee chairman, which Rohlfs had previously filled, and the board unanimously approved.

Economic Development updates

Ruben shared three progressive actions shoring up local economy:

A large complex with truck stop/Dairy Queen will be going up in Atlanta near the intersection by Casey’s. See Large new retail business complex to break ground in Atlanta this spring for details.

Heartland will be training truck drivers for SYSCO through an apprenticeship program. See Heartland Community College Partners with Sysco for CDL ‘Train to Hire’ Program for details.

Workforce Investment has done five rapid response meetings with the employees at the bottle factory owned by Ardagh, which will be closing soon. On March 28th, there will be a job fair for employees of the factory with 30 firms scheduled to be there. The company is working hard to place people in new jobs.

Airport/Farm Committee update

Airport and Farm Committee Vice chairman Bob Sanders made a motion to approve sponsorship of the Dock Dogs Event in the amount of $1,500 out of the Airport/Farm Fund.

Welch amended the amount to $1,000.

Hepler said they used to give $5,000 to the balloon festival and since this event is now one of the main ones, $1,500 does not seem like much.

The amendment failed with just Hepler, Schaffenacker and Welsh voting yes.

Bateman abstained.

The main motion for $1,500 support then passed 6-5-1.

Davenport, Estill, Hepler, Jenness, Welch and Wessbecher voted yes.

Blankenship, Farmer, Ruben, Sanders and Schaffenacker voted no.

Bateman abstained.

Transportation Committee update

Transportation Committee Chairman Janet Estill put forth four measures for board approval that allow for the continuation of the local public transportation system.

1. - to approve a resolution authorizing execution and amendment of the Downstate Operating Assistance Grant Agreement.

2. - to approve the Purchase of Service Agreement for the Rural General Public Transportation between Logan County and SHOWBUS

3. - to take the Public Transportation Applicant Ordinance off display

4. - to approve the Public transportation Applicant Ordinance.

All motions were unanimously approved.

Road and Bridge Committee update

Road and Bridge Committee Chairman Bob Farmer brought forward five motions:

1. - accept an extension to the Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Lincoln for the Fifth Street Road Project. These plans were discussed at a joint meeting between the City Council and the Board.  Aukamp said he will take a copy of this agreement to the city.

2. - accept an Engineering Agreement for assistance in revisions to the Roadway Plans for the Whitney Hill Wind Farm.

3. - accept an Engineering Agreement for construction inspection for the Whitney Hill Wind Farm.

4. - accept an Engineering Agreement for construction inspection assistance for the County Highway 25 Project near Atlanta.

5. - award a contract for sealcoat work to Illinois Road Contractors.

All the motions were unanimously approved.

Building and Grounds Committee update

Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Kevin Bateman made a motion to accept the proposal from Fitzpatrick Construction in the amount of $25,050 for construction of the mandated lactation room in the Logan County Courthouse.

There would be $15,000 of the cost for this room coming out of the Circuit Clerk budget.

Bateman then amended the motion for the lactation room work not to exceed $30,000. Since the building was built in 1905, Bateman said he wants leeway, so the company does not have to ask for additional money if it needs more work than expected.

The amendment passed 8-3-1.

Bateman, Blankenship, Davenport, Estill, Hepler, Jenness, Ruben and Welch voted yes.

Farmer, Sanders and Schaffenacker voted no.

Wessbecher abstained.

Another motion was to accept Flippers Lawn Management as the county’s mowing provider on a monthly contract in the amount of $1,340 per month. Previously, the contract was a two-year contract.

Bateman said the county is looking into getting its own lawnmower and doing the service. A 30-day notice would be needed for this change.

This motion was unanimously approved.

Safety/Law Enforcement/EMA/ Coroner/Ambulance Committee update

Safety Committee Chairman Bob Sanders made a motion to authorize the chair to sign the contracts within 19 PAR and 19 PARLP grants awarded to Logan County EMA.

At the prior Board Workshop on Thursday, Bucky Washam shared details about these two grants. Washam said the 19 PAR grant would provide the Illinois Emergency Services Management Association (IESMA) with two command trailers. The 19 PARLP grant will provide equipment assigned to the county. This equipment includes a 175-kilowatt generator that could power the whole courthouse and be loaned out to other counties in emergencies. It will also include four other generators, one 125-kilowatt generator, two 100 kilowatt generators, and one 70-kilowatt generator.

 

Other equipment will include support trailers, generator containers, operations equipment, a load bank tester for generators, and a county command trailer.

Logan County Sheriff Mark Landers said the need has been observed and the grants will be an asset.

With the restructuring of ETSB, the signature of the chairman is required.

The motion was unanimously approved.

Health update

Logan County Department of Public Health Executive Director Don Cavi shared an update. He said the Mental Health Advisory Board is moving right along and will meet Thursday, May 23 at 5:30 p.m. at Community Action.

Other committee updates

Executive and Personnel Committee update

The board unanimously approved Executive and Personnel Committee Chairman Scott Schaffenacker’s motion to approve the changes made to the Board Policies and Procedures under Public Comments and adding committee chair duties.

The two minutes allowed for public comments is being changed to three minutes.

On Thursday, when discussing committee chair duties, Ruben said he wanted to add that a designee of the committee chair can also bring committee motions that were passed at the committee level forward to the board. He said those who make the motion are not allowed to discuss it in a negative manner. If a chairman is against a motion the committee passed and had to be the one bringing it forward, the chairman cannot discuss it. Ruben said that seems unfair.

The board also unanimously voted to accept the draft proposal for the Comcast Franchise Agreement. That gives Comcast the right to be the only cable TV provider in the area.

The next Regular Board will be held Tuesday, April 16th at 7 p.m. in the Logan County Courthouse.

[Angela Reiners]