Monroe County Board of County Commissioners met March 19.
Here is the minutes provided by the Board:
The meeting of the County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois was called to order at 8:00 a.m. Chairman Robert Elmore, Commissioner Delbert Wittenauer and Commissioner Vicki Koerber were present.
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Others present included Deputy County Clerk Audrey Trembly, and Sheila Wetzler, along with Press Corps representatives – Joe Leicht of the Monroe County Independent and Alan Dooley of the Republic Times.
There being a quorum present, the meeting was called to order by Chairman Elmore.
Public comments: Chris Baker came to the meeting to address the County Board regarding Illinois Route 3 safety. He said he was there representing his wife who had addressed the County Board at the March 5 regular meeting about the same topic. Mr. Baker asked if this was a situation where IDOT would make all of the decisions regarding traffic safety. Commissioner Koerber said all of the local entities work collaboratively – IDOT, along with the City and County governments. Commissioner Wittenauer said IDOT will make the major policy decisions regarding the State Highway through Monroe County.
The following Accounts Payable having been approved for payment, Commissioner Wittenauer moved that the same be allowed and that vouchers be issued against their respective funds of the County Treasurer for payment. Motion seconded by Commissioner Koerber, and so declared. All voting Aye, none Nay, and none Absent. Motion carried.
General Fund:
ADP, LLC 9,564.00
American Stamp & Marking Products Inc. 15.68
Americom 6,878.36
Ann Rudloff 90.48
Best Group LLC 272.68
Blackbaud 3,777.50
Bob Barker Company Inc. 896.27
Cintas Fire Protection 876.50
Coast to Coast Equipment 68.53
Culligan-Schaefer Water Centers 88.63
D E Signs 158.00
Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers 719.44
Egyptian Workspace Partners 106.85
Extra Packaging 192.54
Gateway FS 58.61
Harrisonville Telephone Company 438.31
HWI Equipment Inc. 5,000.00
Inclusion Solutions 3,656.10
Kone Inc. 660.74
Leon Uniform Company Inc. 165.50
M P S Industries 1,365.25
Martin Glass Co. 264.76
May Pest Control, LLC 105.00
Monroe County Electric Coop Inc. 875.00
Motorola 1,388.00
Nabers Shop 319.19
Oak Hill 9,688.00
Office Depot 148.03
Prairie Farms Dairy Inc. 220.00
Quality Collision 259.24
Quill Corporation 1,035.85
Ray O’Herron Co Inc. 2,172.88
Rejis Commission 466.24
Reliable Sanitation Service Inc. 2,731.86
Republic-Times LLC 2,001.51
Robert A. Hayes 2,410.00
Schlemmer Automotive Inc. 36.12
Secretary of State 103.00
Secure Document Destruction 40.00
Stanley Convergent Security Solution 885.00
Tessco 95.67
Thomson Reuters-West Publishing Corp. 2,171.36
Total Eclipse 265.00
U. S. Bank Equipment Finance 218.00
V “Red” Smith 20.00
Warner Communications Corp. 800.00
Watson’s Office City 251.29
Wex 59.59
Zanders Sporting Goods 829.27
Ambulance Service Fund:
Airgas Mid America 329.72
American Response Vehicles Inc. 141,975.00
Andres Medical Billing, Ltd 4,631.80
Midwest Warehouse & Storage Inc. 200.00
Motorola Solutions 396.00
New Creations Screen Printing 310.00
Wells Fargo Vendor Fin Service 115.99
Wireless USA 440.00
Health Tax Fund:
Carpe Diem Inspections 400.00
Culligan-Schaefer Water Centers 7.24
Julie Valerius 100.00
Monroe County General Fund 43,212.00
Sanofi Pasteur Inc. 4,049.72
Highway Fund:
Al’s Auto Waterloo 70.15
Ameren Illinois 47.35
Americom Imaging 375.00
Aramark Uniform Services 2,500.45
Bobcat of St. Louis 2,730.00
DataTronics Inc. 188.00
Decker Supply Co. Inc. 1,546.50
Erb Equipment Company 180.46
Fountain Water District 55.10
Huels Oil Company 3,972.40
Luby Equipment Services 83.13
Monroe County Electric Cooperative 1,083.85
Nu-Deal Oil Company 434.78
O’Reilly Auto Parts 29.97
Quill 71.87
Reliable Sanitation Service Inc. 50.60
Schaeffer Mfg. Co. 997.15
Schwarze Trailer Repair Inc. 71.00
Secure One Self 180.00
Shady Brook Lawn & Garden 70.00
Warning Lites of Southern Illinois 1,379.25
Watson’s Office City 74.14
Weir Ford LLC 33.00
County Motor Fuel:
Monroe County Highway Fund 45,100.04
Recorder’s Document Fund:
Fidlar Technologies 1,826.29
G.I.S. Fund:
The Sidwell Company 2,360.00
Motion was made by Commissioner Wittenauer, with a second by Commissioner Koerber to approve the regular and closed session minutes from March 5. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Motion was made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to approve the closed session minutes from February 22. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Traci James and Angie Berry from Call for Help came to the meeting. Also in attendance was State’s Attorney Chris Hitzemann. Their group works to change the community’s response to sexual assault. They have begun a “Start by Believing” campaign with an event on April 15, with Chris Hitzemann delivering the proclamation of support on that day. Mr. Hitzemann said timely reporting is also very important to effective prosecution, and he has five pending cases currently underway.
Carla Heise came to the meeting to discuss Ambulance Service business. Ms. Heise distributed 40th Anniversary band-aids to the County Commissioners. Following discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to approve report documentation training in St. Louis for Carla Heise in the amount of $960. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried. Motion was made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to approve training for three Paramedic members of the Ambulance Service staff at $250/each for similar training. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Ms. Heise also presented the invoice for the rebuilt ambulance from American Response Vehicles in the amount of $141,975.00. Motion was made by Commissioner Wittenauer, with second by Commissioner Koerber to approve this payment as soon as Ms. Heise is satisfied with the completed unit. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried. Commissioner Koerber said she would help lay eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt at the Ambulance Service Garage.
Mike Fausz came to the meeting to request a flood plain variance for the Ervin Walter Trust who wants to put a 48’ X 48’ addition on the back of an existing shed. They farm 450 acres in Monroe County. This farm is in the Bottoms near Valmeyer, and was recommended for approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Motion was made by Commissioner Wittenauer, with a second by Commissioner Koerber to approve the request. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried. Mr. Fausz said Denise, the new Secretary, is doing well with the meeting and hearing arrangements.
There was some discussion regarding building in the floodplain to comply with the rules and regulations and flood insurance requirements regarding the survey for building elevation.
Ryan Weber came to the meeting. He presented a list of all STARRS-related equipment that has been given to the County, and the total value of that equipment is $757,388. Commissioner Koerber said she has discussed this with John Wagner, and this equipment is limited to specific uses, and many times the equipment will set there until it deteriorates, because it can’t be used for anything but the specified use. We are still required to maintain the equipment at our expense. Commissioner Koerber said it’s great to have all this equipment, but the taxpayer dollar is being used to purchase equipment that just sets and never gets used. She said she feels it is important to make sure these grants are for equipment that is really necessary, and don’t just go after the grants because they’re available.
Jesica Schlimme came to the meeting to discuss the Monroe Randolph Transit District. She said they estimate having 14,000 trips during the fiscal year. Currently the cost per mile is $4.03, and their goal is $2.15, with their cost per trip being $60.50 with a goal of $25. Ms. Schlimme said cash flow is going well, so they have not had to use their line of credit. She said currently they are not traveling outside the two Counties, but they are looking for several different possibilities of doing that. Commissioner Koerber presented information on a transit service available in southeastern Missouri, (this service is available right across the river from Monroe and Randolph County), and she feels that Monroe Randolph Transit District needs to work with any other entities that can help provide the necessary transportation services to the local area. Commissioner Wittenauer said every time they have tried bending the rules, the State has taken away the available funding. Commissioner Koerber said she didn’t feel this District was serving our Counties if they could not travel to St. Clair County or St. Louis.
Motion was made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to appoint Gene Stumpf to the Monroe County Regional Planning Commission to replace Walter Giffhorn, who has passed away. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-17
Be It Resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois that Gene Stumpf, 473 Gilmore Lake Road, Columbia, Illinois be appointed to the Monroe County Regional Planning Commission, replacing Walter Giffhorn who has passed, for a term of three years with term to commence on March 19, 2018 and term to expire on December 31, 2020 or until a successor is appointed and has qualified.
Passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Koerber Second: Wittenauer
Aye: Three Nay: None
Absent: None
Tina Charron came to the meeting to accept a donation in the amount of $450 for the House of Neighborly Service from the United Council of Counties of Illinois on behalf of Monroe County. Ms. Charron said the agency is getting ready to move to Jaime Lane, next to the DMV office. She said they serve as a pass-through for families in need, and last year at Christmas, this group served about 400 families. Ms. Charron said they also served over 4000 lunches to School children during their summer vacation last year. She said their main source of funding for all of these programs is donations from the community.
Pam Jacobs came to the meeting to discuss the University of Illinois Extension Service. She presented a lease document to the County Board in the same annual amount as previously used for the Extension Service office space at the County Annex Building. That amount is $32,122 annually. Chairman Elmore said the County Board would make sure more of the repair and renovation work gets done this year. Ms. Jacobs said Brian Hooten had been to their office recently, and he said he would get started on some of the minor items first. Commissioner Wittenauer said the taxpayers paid for all of the new buildings at the time the Annex was built, and now the County Board has to figure out how to maintain those buildings. Commissioner Koerber said but there are things at that building that have needed repairs through the years, and many of those items have been ignored. Ms. Jacobs said she appreciated being involved in the discussions about the meeting room, because that is essential for the Extension Service and many community organizations. She said if that space is reduced, some of those organizations will have to be told to go home. Chairman Elmore said no definite decisions have been made about the meeting room yet. The lease document was signed by Chairman Elmore.
Kevin Koenigstein and Annmarie Marcuson came to the meeting to discuss a recent worker’s comp claim. Ms. Marcuson said the claim is now being paid, under the direction of CIRMA, the County’s insurance carrier. Ms. Marcuson said the health insurance carrier is projecting a 3.3- 3.8% increase from UHC. She said the drug plan would be switching from Optum to Express Scripts, and that will be a mandatory change for the County, and the prescriptions would only be available at Walgreens or by mail. Ms. Marcuson said there will be a second plan available for the following fiscal year – a second plan can be offered, but the initial plan cannot be changed. Commissioner Koerber said we have also had employees being randomly kicked off the current insurance plan. Ms. Marcuson said they are blaming that on a glitch between UHC and the insurance office.
Mr. Koenigstein said there will be a 3-plus-percent increase in the health insurance rate, and the Board needs to decide if they will pass that expense along to each employee. Commissioner Wittenauer said that is not a bad rate increase. Commissioner Koerber said the Board needs definite numbers before any decisions can be made. Mr. Koenigstein said the rate increase would be about $20-$25 per individual for the County, and about $4-$5 increase for each insured employee.
Aaron Metzger came to the meeting to discuss Highway Department business. He said the asphalt bids had recently been reviewed. Mr. Metzger said he was recommending award of the County MFT Maintenance Program to Mike Maedge Trucking of Highland and JTC Petroleum of Highland. Motion was made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to award the bids as recommended. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-18
2018 County MFT Maintenance Program
Whereas, bids were received on March 1, 2018 for furnishing materials required by Monroe County Highway Department to be used for the County’s 2018 MFT Maintenance Program, and
Whereas, the following low bids for asphalt materials were received:
CRS 2 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads at $1.3209/gal.;
From Mike Maedge Trucking, Highland, IL
MC800 bituminous material, furnished and applied to shoulders on Hanover/Floraville Roads @ $2.58/gal.; and
MC800 bituminous material, furnished and delivered for storage at the County Garage in Waterloo at $2.32/gal.;
From JTC Petroleum, Maryville, IL
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the aforelisted low bidders be and are hereby awarded the contracts.
Passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo, this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Koerber Second: Wittenauer
Aye: Three Nay: None
Absent: None
Motion was made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to award the Road District MFT Maintenance Program to Mike Maedge Trucking of Highland and JTC Petroleum of Maryville. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-19
2018 MFT Maintenance Asphalt Materials Deliver And Install Contract Award
Whereas, bids were received on March 1, 2018 for furnishing asphalt materials to be spread on roads within Road District No. 5.
Whereas, the local public agency shall require a performance and payment bond from every contractor for deliver and install groups in excess of $50,000.
Now, Therefore Be It Resolved, that the County of Monroe enter into a contract and require a contract bond from JTC Petroleum Company, Maryville, IL for furnishing asphalt material to the Monroe County Road District No. 5.
Be It Further Resolved, that the County Board Chairman and the County Clerk are hereby authorized to execute said deliver and install contract upon execution by the contractor.
Passed by the Board of Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo, this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Koerber Second: Wittenauer
Aye: Three Nay: None
Absent: None
Ron Schultheis came to the meeting.
Motion as made by Commissioner Koerber, with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer to approve a 2018 MFT Maintenance Asphalt Materials Deliver and Install Contract Award for Road District No. 5 to JTC Petroleum of Maryville. All voting Aye, none May and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-20
2018 Road Districts MFT Maintenance Program
Whereas, bids were received on March 1, 2018 for furnishing materials to be used by various road districts in Monroe County, Illinois in their 2018 MFT Maintenance Program; and
Whereas, the following low bid for asphalt materials were received and approved by the Road Commissioners:
HFE 90-150 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District 1 @ $1.4810/gal.; and
HFE 90-150 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road Districts 2 and 3 @ $ 1.4610/gal.; and
HFE 90-150 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District 6 @ $1.4709/gal.; and
HFE 90-150 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District 7 @ $1.4609/gal.;and
HFE 90-150 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District 9 @ $1.4579/gal.; and
HFE 90-150 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on edges up to 5’ wide in Road District 7 @
$1.4609/gal.; and
CRS 2 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District 4 @ $1.3329/gal.; and
CRS 2 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District 8 @ $1.3379/gal.; and
CRS 2 emulsion, bituminous material, furnished and applied on roads in Road District No. 10 @ $1.3309/gal; and
From Mike Maedge Trucking, Highland, IL
MC800 bituminous material, furnished and delivered for storage at the County Garage in Waterloo for Road District Nos. 3, 6, 7, and 10 at $2.32/gal.
From JTC Petroleum Company, Maryville, IL
Now Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the aforelisted low bidders be and are hereby awarded the contracts subject to the written concurrence of the respective Road Commissioners.
Passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo, this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Koerber Second: Wittenauer
Aye: Three Nay: None Absent: None
Absent: None
Mr. Metzger said East-West Gateway makes funding available to perform traffic studies for traffic congestion mitigation and air quality improvement. Motion was made by Commissioner Wittenauer, with a second by Commissioner Koerber to allow the Monroe County Highway Department to enter into an engineering agreement with Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen Inc. for completion of this work. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-21
Approval Of An Engineering Agreement With Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen Inc. For The Illinois Route 3 And Hanover Road Intersection Traffic Study And Congestion Mitigation And Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) Application
Whereas, in the interest of providing improved transportation facilities and the safety of the motoring public the County of Monroe desires to construct a right turn lane on Hanover Road entering southbound Illinois Route 3; and
Whereas, the Federal Highway Administration, through the East-West Council of Governments offers funding for highway projects that reduce congestion as part of the competitive CMAQ Program; and
Whereas, a traffic study is required as part of said CMAQ application.
Now, Therefore Be It Resolved, that the firm of Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen Inc. (TWM) of Swansea, IL be contracted to provide said traffic study and complete the CMAQ application for the Hanover Road right turn lane onto southbound Illinois Route 3 and that the County Engineer is authorized to enter into an Engineering Agreement with TWM to perform said services; and
Be It Further Resolved that the following funds be appropriated to cover the cost of the services, not to exceed:
County Highway Fund – Engineering Fees - $10,000
Passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo, this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Wittenauer Second: Koerber
Aye: Three Nay: None
Absent: None
Edie Koch and Keith Moran came to the meeting to discuss Enterprise Zones. Also in attendance was Kevin Koenigstein. Ms. Koch said the Monroe County Economic Development Corporation has been looking for more ways to retain and attract businesses, and to be more competitive with other communities when a business is looking for a place to locate. She said one local incentive that can be offered to be more competitive is an Enterprise Zone. In order to get an Enterprise Zone, a community or area needs to apply to the State, and right now there are twenty-plus zones that are up for application, with thirteen of those available for application this program year. Ms. Koch said one of the options would be to submit a joint application with Randolph County, and discussion has started with officials from Randolph County about that type of collaboration. She said Keith Moran, in attendance at the meeting today, has successfully submitted many Enterprise Zone applications in the past, and would be willing to help Monroe County with that type of effort.
Mr. Moran said there is a lot of information that is required for the application, and the entity applying has to meet ten qualifying factors, as well as have multiple letters of support from local governments and business partners. He said it can take as long as six months to assemble the package. Mr. Moran said there are currently 97 Enterprise Zones in the State of Illinois. He said one enticement that can be a part of the Enterprise Zone is property tax abatement on new investment in property, but that would not be part of the initial development of the zone here. That could be added later if there is interest from the stakeholders. The major benefit is sales tax exemption on building materials used in the Enterprise Zone. There would have to be an Administrator for the zone, and Ms. Koch said traditionally it’s someone who is associated with the economic development field within that area, and if the Enterprise Zone includes Monroe and Randolph County, that would have to be determined by the two Counties. Mr. Moran said many Enterprise Zones are charging a half percent fee to whoever is receiving the benefit, and those funds can help to pay the cost of the Zone Administrator. Mr. Moran said to get the sales tax exemption, all building materials would have to be purchased in Illinois.
Commissioner Wittenauer asked how will everyone get along if all communities are looking to get the most benefit out of this program. Ms. Koch said the maximum area that can be included in the zone is 15 square miles, and all of the participating communities will have to agree what areas should be included. Larger areas can be connected by a 3-feet wide strip.
Mr. Moran said two other incentives are an investment tax credit and a utility tax exemption. Ms. Koch said this is not just for new businesses, but also for businesses who wish to grow and expand. She said part of the application includes the labor market area, and those can be set up to reach into Madison and St. Clair Counties as well as the local area.
Ms. Koch said Monroe County is many times ignored by business site selectors, simply because there is no Enterprise Zone available here. Chairman Elmore said does it make sense that Route 3 would be our market area? Ms. Koch said once you know who wants to be involved, then you can determine what needs to be included in the zone.
Mr. Moran said the drop-dead date to get the application put together would be July, so the application is complete and submitted by the end of the calendar year. Chairman Elmore asked about the cost to set up the zone. Ms. Koch said the cost can be fronted by local communities or even by individual businesses who are interested in the establishment of the Enterprise Zone. Mr. Moran said the application fee is a one-time fee.
Mr. Moran said the timeline should be:
Drop dead date for application submission – December 31, 2018
Application scored by state – May/June, 2019
Enterprise Zone awarded – September, 2019
Enterprise Zone begins – January 2, 2020
He said even though you submit the application, there is no guarantee you will be awarded with a Zone.
Ms. Koch said there was a preliminary meeting with all of the communities participating, and they were all sent back to discuss this with their governing boards. She said in the near future there will be a follow-up meeting to see who is really interested in participating, and at that time plans can start to be made. She said one thing to remember is that the only enticement offered to Amazon in Edwardsville was that the site was in an Enterprise Zone.
Chairman Elmore said he feels the County Board is in approval to proceed with exploring an Enterprise Zone. There was discussion of the cost involved. Mr. Moran said he would prepare a financial proposal for the County Board. Ms. Koch said the County could pay for the entire application process, or the cost could be split among the municipalities participating. Mr. Moran said he has seen it done both ways. Commissioner Koerber said she wanted to see a proposal before committing the Board to a definite amount.
Edie Koch reminded the Board about the 2nd Annual Monroe County Economic Development Corporation meeting to be held on Thursday, March 22 at 11 South in Columbia. Shawn Kennedy joined the end of this discussion. She said she and Mayor Smith attended the exploratory meeting, but the City of Waterloo has still not discussed the Enterprise Zone with their City Council.
Commissioner Koerber said she would be meeting later today with representatives of the Waterloo Lions Club, the Waterloo Optimists Club, the Waterloo Municipal Band and the City of Waterloo about the condition of the bathrooms under the bandstand.
Kim Keckritz came to the meeting to discuss Oak Hill. She said Evergreen Pointe has had 66 admissions for the first quarter. For the December financials, all areas of the facility were profitable. She said information she has received is saying that more and more Seniors will require Assisted Living services in the years to come, and they are calling it the “Senior Tsunami”. Ms. Keckritz said she has had some luck recruiting some CNA candidates from Waterloo High School, and they have been top-notch workers. She said Diana Karsten will be retiring after working 36 years at the Nursing Home. The monthly Nursing Home bills were approved upon motion by Commissioner Wittenauer with a second by Commissioner Koerber. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Commissioner Wittenauer said there seems to be a lot of change of ownership in other local assisted living facilities. Ms. Keckritz said she thinks that can only help Oak Hill.
Motion was made by Commissioner Wittenauer, with a second by Commissioner Koerber to go into closed session to discuss personnel. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-22
Be It Resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois that the Board is going into closed session for the purpose of Personnel discussion.
Passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo, this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Wittenauer Second: Koerber
Aye: Three Nay: None
Absent: None
Motion was made by Commissioner Wittenauer, with a second by Commissioner Koerber to end closed session and return to open session. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
Resolution 18-23
Be It Resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois that the board is ending its closed session and returning to open session.
Passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Illinois at Waterloo, this 19th day of March, 2018.
Motion: Wittenauer Second: Koerber
Aye: Three Nay: None
Absent: None
Alan Dooley returned to the meeting.
State’s Attorney Chris Hitzemann said he is still working on the Holland contract for the construction of Evergreen Pointe.
Sheriff Neal Rohlfing and State’s Attorney Chris Hitzemann came to the meeting to discuss safety on Illinois Route 3. Sheriff Rohlfing said there has been a lot of publicity regarding the Route 3 situation because of the recent traffic accidents. He said the County has no control over stoplights or speed limits on the State Highway, but there are some things that can be done. Sheriff Rohlfing said the number of annual traffic accidents have been increasing since 2014. He said the County has started handling more accidents on the State Highway as long as there is not a fatality involved. Sheriff Rohlfing said he was planning to apply for an IDOT grant for $13,540 for traffic safety, holidays and busy traffic times. When the deputies go out to work on this project, it would be overtime hours for those deputies. He said he needs to work with Mr. Koenigstein to make sure this is handled correctly so his budget doesn’t run in the red. Sheriff Rohlfing said this would also be used to monitor school bus violations. Commissioner Koerber said she feels that it is important for the county to do whatever can be done to assist with these traffic problems. Sheriff Rohlfing said he agreed – he didn’t think it was proper for County officials to just say it isn’t our problem, without trying to do whatever we can to help out. Commissioner Wittenauer said we have to be careful, because we can’t patrol the whole County. Sheriff Rohlfing said that’s true, but the County needs to help whenever and wherever possible. Discussion will be held with the Treasurer to determine how the grant funds and overtime costs should be handled.
Sheriff Rohlfing said last week the County received about $44,000 in funding from the DEA asset forfeiture fund, and he said there are several other large seizures that should be sending more money to the County in the near future.
Annmarie Marcuson reported that the FOP contract discussions are at a standstill.
There being no further business to come before the Board, motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Koerber with a second by Commissioner Wittenauer. All voting Aye, none Nay and none Absent. Motion carried.
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