County Briefs          
[SEPT. 21, 2005]  LINCOLN --  County looks at new fiscal year
 Luster completes final meeting as full board member

New Budget

 The finance committee chairman Chuck Ruben called a special finance committee meeting for 8 a.m. this morning, Wednesday, Sept. 21, to go over recommendations and changes to the next fiscal year budget. The new year begins Dec. 1, 2005.

Some changes were made, mainly changing $1.00 levy to $1,000 for departments that have a reserve to draw on, such as the road and bridge fund and the tuberculosis sanitarium fund.

The Logan County Health Department will resume funding at $371,000. They forced to operate on reserves when they were cut to $1.00 last year.

According to figures supplied by Andy Lascody, it looks as though there will be $800,000 expenses from 04/05 FY to transfer into next year against $6.2 general budget, leaving $5.4 million to budget.

Another special county board meeting has been called requesting full board attendance to ok the changes made this morning for next Monday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. at the Logan County Courthouse.

Contracts approved

Sheriff’s Department correction officers and maintenance received a 3 ½ % increases over the next three years, while secretaries and the cook will get 3 % increases the next three years.

Board resignation

“I’ve received something that I didn’t want to get,” board chairman Bob Farmer said, “The resignation of Gloria Luster.” Luster will be moving to Lincoln from the district that she represents in Mount Pulaski this fall. Her resignation is effective Sept. 30.

In her letter Luster said that she truly enjoyed her years of service on the board and working with committees, office holders and employees who give so diligently of their time to Logan County. She included a special thanks to Joanne Marlin [administrative secretary] who shared so much knowledge and was a right hand at any time needed. God “Bless all of you, thank you for your friendship and many fond memories. I’m truly proud to be a resident of Logan County,” she wrote.

Area Law Enforcement and First Responders Receive Recognition

The Park Meadow Baptist Church honored all area law enforcement and first responders for their work at their Red, White and Blue ceremony this past Sunday.
Receiving special recognition were:
Logan County Sheriff’s Department, Chief Deputy Rick Bacon
Lincoln Rural Fire Department, Dan Fulscher
Logan County Paramedics Association, John Ohlmstead
Lincoln Police Department, Paul Adams
Lincoln Fire Department, Capt. Rick O’hara

Prevailing Wage Act

Board hesitation to submit to passing the Prevailing Wage Act has come to an end. The board postponed the decision for the past two months to weigh the costs and benefits of adopting the state measure. Not adopting it waives government grant funding. The board wished to evaluate specific wage brackets and was waiting consultation with States Attorney Tim Huyett.

The Prevailing Wage Act affects anyone doing work for a government body that is not under a union. Board member John Stewart said that the wages are set on a state standard. Anybody that gets tax money for expenditure has to pass it, he said.

However, wages for a particular job may not be as high in one area of the state as in another. You can get around it by having your own study done on area wages for a 60-mile radius, but that can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $6,000, Stewart said.

Board member Dick Logan said, “Maybe we ought to think about that sometime though. You might spend $5,000 on a study and save $100,000.”

“The only way to change something is to challenge it,” he added.

Finance chair Chuck Ruben agreed that it is worth considering for a big project such as one that would be a half million dollars. He recalled having a fee study done recently that by the time the accountants got done with it was pretty steep.

The measure passed on Tuesday evening, 11 – 1, with Dick Logan voting no.

Sysco Financing

A resolution to change the debt certificates from $45,000 to $49,000 for 20 years was approved, 11 – 1, with Patrick O’Neil voting no.

The city of Lincoln is carrying the debt certificates on behalf of the county as the best means of financing the project.

The county purchased the property for the commerce park. Property was sold to Sysco at $1 per acre for 52 acres. Property value increases and other taxes are estimated exceed $10,000 more than the annual payment after the business is up and running in a few years.

Courthouse Pre-winter Repairs

$13,800 was approved to cover expenses of repairs to the courthouse roof, dome and a couple of windows caulked before winter.

Health Department

Margie Harris of the Logan County Health Department presented a comprehensive document to county board members for review. She said that the strategic planning process that looks to the future of the health department began in 2000 and includes recently returned 2004/2005 data. The information in it explains the programs that the health department offers and their funding sources.

Four appointments were made to the Logan County Board of Health:
Mike Rohrer, Todd Walker, DMD; Paul Kasa, MD and Gloria Luster.

Other appointments:
Darrell White, Logan County Cemetery Maintenance District Trustee
Kelli Jackson, Deputy Animal Control Warden
 

GIS

     A committee will be appointed to oversee progression of the county geographic information system. Former county engineer Tom Hickman began the process for the county, arranging for the new aerial digital photography and initial mapping. The project is ready now ready to go to engineers that will apply parcel mapping.

The parcel mapping must be completed by next year for use by the property assessor’s office according to state mandate Bulletin 810.

Airport

Bill Sahs reported that he and county coordinator Dewey Colter made a trip to the Illinois Department of Aviation this past month to check on a transportation project. Funds are in line to do $582,000 drainage at the south end of the airport and thanks to Colter speaking up, Sahs said, there may be an additional $100,000 to address drainage issues at the north end as well. The work is planned for April, 2006.

New pavement overlay was applied this week. New markings and work around tiedowns will be completed and the airport will be fully operational again by Saturday.

Katrina Evacuee Prep
County board chairman Bob Farmer, committee chairman Dick Logan, Mayor Beth Davis and alderman Buzz Busby formed the Logan County Hurricane Katrina Relief Team in coordination with the Red Cross and the emergency management agency. 20 rooms have been secured to be available for two weeks, and can be extended to four weeks. Sangamon County has 250 units available for placement. Anyone in need of shelter can call Logan Dispatch at [phone] or the Logan County Emergency Management Agency office during business hours at [phone].

Champaign received 300 evacuees. Macon County has 60 to 125. There are none in Logan County, “but we certainly stand ready in case there need be,” Logan County Emergency Management Agency director Dan Fulscher said.

Louisiana is now hiring residents for cleanup to help get them back in their homes at a sooner time.

 
Parking

An arrangement with the City of Lincoln to reserve six parking spaces for courthouse employees was approved, 11 – 1, with O’Neil voting no.

[Jan Youngquist]