Jasper County Board
November 14, 2019
The County Board met in regular session on Thursday, November 14, 2019. Members present were
Bollman, Leffler, Fehrenbacher, Hall, Heltsley, Hickox, Kerner, Pickens, Swick, Warfel, Michl and
Weddell. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by proclamation according to law by Sheriff
Francis.
Sheriff Francis led a moment in silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Public comments: None
Swick made a motion to approve the agenda. Kerner seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice
vote.
Committee Reports:
The Road and Bridge Committee met on November 12 th at the Highway Office. Foreman’s mileage for
Oct. was 2,165 miles. Discussion was held on Motor Fuel Tax Funds.
The Sheriff’s Committee met on October 30 th . Part-time Dispatcher Brittany Pride has submitted a letter
of resignation her last day will be October 28 th . Full Time Correctional Officer Tyler Koester’s last day
will be November 11 th . Koester will be working as a Correctional Officer for the Effingham County
Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Francis has received some applications for Correctional Officer and will be
conducting interviews for that position. Sheriff Francis has been contacted by the Kansas Highway patrol.
They have a white Ford Explorer available. Sheriff is planning on going to Kansas and getting the car
next week. Sheriff Francis and Chief Mike Swick met with the Police Committee to discuss the purchase
of the Starcom Radios. The Committee will discuss this purchase with the City council on November 6 th .
The Finance Committee met on November 8 th . Jason Warfel gave a background on the steps of state
separation and a study that had been completed by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute busting the
myth of downstate disparity. Jesse Bond spoke on the many reasons for Illinois Separation. Loret Newlin
spoke on Illinois Separation on the economic concerns and other legislated laws. Clinton spoke on the
concern Peoples State Bank had with the Money Market Accounts and checking accounts on transferring
only 6 times a month. PSB is going to offer a checking account offering the same interest rate as the
Money Market accounts. Hall made a motion to change the Money Market account to checking accounts.
Bollman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote. The county has 60 bank accounts.
Accounts Payable and pay roll have dual signatures on them already but the other accounts do not. PSB
suggested all account have dual signatures, someone from the Treasurer’s and Clerk’s office. Kemper’s
CPA said a good idea but it would be up to the county. It will take some time to make this change but it is
a good idea. The county is running in the positive for the year. The new personnel policy will address the
holiday schedule but need to address for this year, since the policy is currently being worked on. Blake
was told by the judge not to schedule anything on December 24 th and 31 st . Swick made a motion to
approve December 24 th and 31 st as holidays for 2019. Bollman seconded the motion. The motion carried
on a voice vote. Ambulance, Health and Highway Department reimburses the county $170,000 to the
general fund for health insurance. There was a request to have the county cover the cost, the county does
not have in the budget to cover the $170,000. No action at this time. Discussion of the FY2020 Budget.
A couple of changes have been made to tort, moving line items not changing the overall total. The Jail
Project is for 2.5 million. $200,000 from personal property money, $800,000 personal property CD’s,
$800,000 sale tax reserve CD’s, $500,000 building fund, $200,000 911 expense out of construction.
There will still be money in the reserve. Questions brought up were, do we want to borrow or pay all at
once? Does 2.5 cover the cost, we will not know the true cost until get actual cost. The county can only
finance for a couple of years with a loan. There is a possibility the cost could go into the following year
where there would be more revenue. Discussed the possibility of losing income from the power plant. The
county wants to plan for the future. IMRF will not give estimate for early retirement until new budget for
possibility of pay raises, so it will be after the first of the year. Personnel Policy will not be ready but
some items will be ready for the county board meeting to approve.
The Building Committee met on November 7 th . Hickox asked if everyone had looked over the budget for
the building committee. This is the first year the committee has not been given their part of the budget to
look at and discuss. Michl said the Sheriff’s project is in the budget and how it is going to be paid but not
were the rest of the funds are going to be paid from. Circuit Clerk’s office floor is getting worse. The
quote from Kirchner Building Center is for the labor and flooring. Blake said it is getting worse and the
judge said this needs to be taken care of soon. Roy will put rugs over the spots where the flooring is
popping up until the new floor gets installed. Pickens made a motion to replace the flooring in the Circuit
Clerk’s office for $5,415 with $1,000 contingency. Bollman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a
voice vote. Estimates will be needed for snow blading of the county jail and county building parking lots.
The around 40 bags of ice melt were purchased at Kirchners last year for the county buildings. The
committee decided it would be best to buy it as needed. Sealing of the bricks will probably be rolled to
next year’s budget, not happy Carpenter was given a project and put off to long. Pickens will call him.
The concrete, in front of the county building, a project the city was working on with us was also to be
completed this budget year and has not been done. Smithenry has 3 weeks left of this month. Hickox will
call Smithenry and let him know it needs to be done. December 6 th , 7 th , and 8 th , Jeff Long will be
refinishing the floors of the county building.
GIS committee did not meet.
The Ambulance Committee met on November 6 th . Kerner made a motion to start excepting proposal’s for
a new ambulance along with any and all new equipment need to be purchased in the 2020 budget, all
proposal’s will have to be in by the close of business on Monday, December, 2 nd 2019, second by Weddell
– all were in favor. Altamont Over Head Doors will be replacing a motor on one of the garage door
openers that has gone bad. The kitchen lights have been replaced with LED’s. 2357 had to have a DEF
Fluid sensor replaced along with a headlight. The ambulance handed out over 300 treat bags at the
Chambers Trick or Treat on the Courthouse Lawn on Saturday October, 12 th . Jonathon Rodgers has
started training on claim entry. Open over time shift coverage was discussed. Medicaid and MCO’s will
soon be paying 88% of the Medicare rate which will be a big help to all ambulance services in the state.
The Insurance Committee met on October 28 th at Parklanes. Kyle Shell (IPMG) addressed the committee
on updates required: Employment Posters Now Needs to Be Displayed in County Court House,
Discussion of Cannabis Regulations Act, Workforce Harassment Policy / Transparency Act, Cyber
Security Training for Employees, New Restroom Law : Single Occupancy Bathrooms has to be a unisex
cannot be dedicated to a specific gender, Mandated Certificate of Insurance on File for Contractors that
are performing work for County, Family Medical Leave Act, Neogov.com, IPMG Connect (Medcor). Ray
Diel Snedeker Risk Management addressed the committee, Tele Doc Free Service to all Insured Members
(Effective Jan 1 st ) Employees Can use this service for any minor illness to help cut down on emergency
room and urgent care visits, 1500 Deductible Policy will no longer have a Doctor Visit Co Pay, SRM will
no longer be affiliated with HealthLink. SRM has hired their own negotiation team to settle claims made
to firm. This will be a huge cost savings for SRM and to the employee with the hopes of saving enough
money to hold down premium increases in the coming years. The Insurance Committee met on November
14 th . Health Department, Highway Department and Ambulance Department use levied money out of their
budgets to pay back to the county general fund apportion of health insurance. The rest of the county
comes out of the general fund. The county still pays part of the health department, highway and
ambulance department health insurance out of personal property. This was not budgeted for this year, so
no motion was made. Health Premium went up 4.9% it raised the employee cost $20 per pay period. The
county raised the county paid portion a few years ago $105. It is not in the budget for the county to pay
more of the health premium but need to look at sooner next year. No motion made. Discussion of paying
a portion of insurance premium to the employee if they decide to purchase health insurance other than
take the county insurance. There is a penalty if the employee goes to open market. The county needs to
offer good enough insurance, so employees do not go to open market. It would be hard to administer
reimbursement to employees if they go to the open market for insurance. No motion made.
EMA did not meet.
The Animal Control did not meet.
JEDI met on November 5 th . Forrest Langenfeld spoke about the Opportunity Zones and what it means for
Newton. Brett Lessley talked on the Jasper County CEO and asked for a contribution of $1,000. Monthly
updates were given by Amber Volk, Executive Director, Mark Bolander, Mayor of Newton, Jason
Warfel, County Board, Andy Johnson, Superintendent of Jasper County Unit #1, and Sarah Kinkade,
Chamber.
Personnel Committee did not meet.
Health Department report is in the board packet.
Hall moved to approve the County Clerk’s report. Weddell seconded the motion. The motion carried on a
voice vote.
Old Business:
Jasper County Personnel Policy has a 35 cent longevity raise that impacts the budget along with holiday
pay. Kyle Shell has given Miller a 100 page recommended policy along with additional recommendations
with the new law changes. Miller will put all together with the most updated information trying to
condense what he has been giving. Leffler made a motion increase the longevity pay to 35 cents in the
personal policy. Michl seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Sheriff’s Department Project, Warfel has talked to Shannon Woodard and Warfel has a site survey and
the planning committee should be ready to meet soon.
Discussion of Cannabis Tax & Other Ordinance, Miller stated if the county does nothing we are allowing
facilities to set up jurisdiction. If we opt out we are not allowing businesses to come int. If we allow then
we need to determine tax and social use spaces and define requirements. We do not address the
incorporated areas, if they do not opt out they need to do something for taxing. It will go through finance
for taxing. For the county to get tax revenue it would have to be out in the unincorporated areas. If it
would be passed a follow up ordinance would be later. We could opt out but it could be addressed later
and could change it, could allow certain items but not others. Miller stated the city has zoning, the city
may opt out the determine how to zone it, then make changes. The law took out restriction so have to
make restriction at local level. Miller does not represent the city but zoning is not ready for this. Hickox,
and Leffler does not want anything to do with it morally. Swick will not be at the next meeting and would
opt out. Michl is concerned villages may not do anything. Miller can only give forms, he is not allowed to
go to the villages. Board member need to contact the villages. This will be voted on next month.
Clinton went over the changes to probation’s budget. Fehrenbacher made a motion to approve the
amended FY2019 County Budget. Warfel seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Miller said his copy machine broke since the proposed budget. His option was to purchase a new machine
or overhaul the old machine which cost almost as much as used machine. Miller has $2,000 in his budget
for contingencies but would like to increase it to $3,695 to cover the cost of a used copy machine. Warfel
made a motion to approve the FY2020 County Budget with the addition of $1,695 to the State’s
Attorney’s contingencies. Bollman seconded the motion. Discussion from Hickox was made on employee
salaries, the building committee not being involved with the budget and the Health Department projected
revenue of interest and concerned about the ambulance money deficit. The motion went to a roll call vote.
The motion passed on a roll call vote with Bollman, Fehrenbacher, Hall, Heltsley, Kerner, Warfel, Swick,
Pickens and Weddell voting yes. Leffler, Hickox, Michl, voting no.
New Business:
Miller plans to fix the language for the future holidays in the personal policy. Warfel made a motion to
approve Christmas Eve 2019 and New Year’s Eve 2019 as county holiday. Leffler seconded the motion.
The motion carried on a voice vote.
Fehrenbacher made a motion to approve to keep closed session meeting minutes sealed. Hall seconded the
motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Pickens made a motion to approve to move county board meetings in January 16 th and October 15 th 2020
to the 3 rd Thursday. Weddell seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Swick moved to approve the minutes. Kerner seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
County Board Comments: Swick said next month will have a big project of the tax levy. Warfel said a
meeting will be held on December 5 th at 1:15 at the Chamber to see if there is an interest in the mapping
program, planning out the future.
Chairman’s Comments: Thank you for allowing use of courthouse lawn for the Veteran’s Day Progam.
Hickox moved to allow the claims and to allow any additional claims to be paid if budgeted in the current
fiscal year. Kerner seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
The next board meeting is December 12 th , 2019 at 7:00 pm.
Leffler moved to adjourn at 8:04 pm. Bollman seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Amy Tarr, Jasper County Clerk
