Logan County Briefs – next fiscal year budget adjustments, dispatch, and upcoming road and airport projects

 

[October 18, 2019] 

The Logan County Board held its Regular monthly voting meeting on Tuesday, September 17, hearing committee updates and voting on several motions. Budget issues were one focus of discussion.

Board members present were Dave Blankenship, Emily Davenport, Janet Estill, Bob Farmer, Cameron Halpin, David Hepler, Steve Jenness, Chuck Ruben, Bob Sanders, Scott Schaffenacker, Annette Welch and Jim Wessbecher.

A top priority was completing the draft of the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 budget that begins on Dec. 1st.

Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Ruben motioned to put the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 budget on display for 30 days.

Ruben said he may have given a false impression at the Board Workshop about the money expected to come back (from various county departments.) It is not that they will have a surplus, but they put extra in each budget and some of it comes back at the end of the year.

In the current fund balance for the general fund, there is a deficit of $412,827.

This amount does not account for what will be turned back in from some of the departments for the year.

For instance, with the restructuring of EMA, 911, and Dispatch, there has been significant savings. At a special finance meeting in August, Logan County Sheriff Mark Landers said he projected that there may be around $125,000 returned from the EMA budget. Some of that comes from a grant reimbursement.

Before the board voted on the budget, two amendments were brought forward.

Welch motioned to amend the raises for non-union employees to two percent. Last month, she motioned for a one-and-a half percent raise.

The Consumer Price Index is 1.9 percent and the board considers that percentage as they set raises.

Welch said State’s Attorney Brad Hauge suggested a 2.1 percent raise. Welch said it would be easier to have an even number, so she split it and motioned for the two percent.
Halpin asked Ruben if he would be abstaining from the vote since he has family members that work for the county.

Ruben said he has not usually done that since raises are across the board, but he could.

The board approved the raises with eleven yeses.

Ruben abstained.

Helper motioned to add $10,000 to the deputy treasurer’s salary line item for the insurance work they do.

This motion failed 5-5-2.

Hepler, Jenness, Sanders, Welch and Wessbecher voted yes.

Blankenship, Estill, Farmer, Halpin and Schaffenacker voted no.

Davenport and Ruben abstained.

After voting on these amendments, the board unanimously voted for Ruben’s main motion to approve the FY 2019/20 budget. It can be found on the county website found at logancountyil.gov

The board also unanimously approved a motion for a budget amendment for circuit clerk. This amendment was an internal one for the Circuit Clerk Office moving money out of one line into another. The money was moved from the Electronic Storage line item to deputy clerk’s salary line item for unforeseen leaves and retirements to cover extra hours for part-time.

Ruben thanked the Finance Committee, Logan County Treasurer Penny Thomas and Logan County Board Secretary Amy Kuhlman for all their help in making the budget work.

Safety Committee update

The board unanimously approved Safety Committee Chairman Bob Sanders’ motion to approve Intergovernmental Agreement with the city of Lincoln for dispatchers.

Sheriff Landers said the Lincoln City Council recently approved the intergovernmental agreement with the county.

An extra telecommunicator is needed, but Landers said the budget would still show a $20,000 savings and lower payments by $55.

The county and city will each pay a percentage of the dispatch costs since both utilize it. Landers said the county portion would be $13,061 and the city portion $9,300. He said other agencies using dispatch should probably pay in too.

Road and Bridge Committee update

The board unanimously approved four motions brought forward by Road and Bridge Chairman Bob Farmer:

- Addendum to the engineering agreement with Hanson to complete the preliminary engineering on the Fifth Street Road project.

- Engineering agreement with Veenstra & Kimm to complete preliminary engineering on the Sugar Creek overflow bridge near New Holland.

- Resolution to appropriate $20,000 from the County Bridge Fund for a riprap project in East Lincoln and Chester Townships.

- Resolution to appropriate $15,000 from the County Bridge Fund for a riprap project in Chester Township.

Airport/Farm Committee update

The board unanimously approved Airport and Farm Committee Chairman Dave Blankenship’s motion to approve the NDB Agreement with Albion Radio Communications.

The motion to approve the agreement with Hanson Professional Services for design and planning special services to rehabilitate the main aircraft parking apron in the amount of $43,929.00 with the county share of the cost at five percent, or $2,196.45, was also unanimously approved. This project is slated to begin in May 2020.

[Angela Reiners]