Jasper County Board Minutes
COUNTY OF JASPER NEWTON, ILLINOIS
County Office Building 204 W Washington St, Newton, IL 62448
February 9, 2023
The County Board met in regular session on Thursday, February 9th, 2023. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by proclamation according to law by Sheriff Francis. Sheriff Francis led a moment in silence and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Attendance by means other than physical presence. If a quorum of the members of the public body is physically present as required by the Open Meetings Act, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means (Defined as video or Audio Conference) if the member is prevented from physically attending because of one of the following reasons: 1) Personal Illness or Disability, 2) Employment Purposes or the Business of the Public Body 3) A Family or other Emergency Mr. Deckard because of personal illness was unable to attend in person this evening since we need majority consent to allow him to attend by “other means” no one objected to his attendance by Zoom. Mr. Deckard was permitted to participate in the meeting. Members present were Bollman, Deckard, Geier, Heltsley, Judson, Spiker, Warfel, and Weddell. Pickens was absent.
Jacob Janssen from Snedeker Risk Management was present, introduced himself and gave description of what Snedeker Risk Management does for the county.
Public comments: None
Geier made a motion to approve the agenda. Bollman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Reports:
County Departments
Ambulance Department – 150 runs for the month of January. Discussion will be needed to determine if remounting 2357 or purchasing a whole new unit. Quotes were sent to Mike and Adam. Approval to raise Paramedic wages. Surrounding counties pay more on the hour. Asking $25/hr. This would be for full time paramedics, and this would currently only raise 1 or 2 current employees’ wages. I propose increasing part-time medics wages from $20/hr to $23. This would only impact about 2-3 part wages (that don’t work very often). Jasper County must stay competitive to retain or gain Medics. Stryker cots are over 10 years old. We need to start looking into how they can be steadily replaced. There is a Zoom mtg scheduled with Stryker rep, I sent the link to Mike and Adam if they would like to attend. I am trying to get CMS to let Jasper County use the fiscal year 12/1/2022-11/30/23 and then report Jan 2024-May 2024 for the Data Collection project for Ambulance Services.
Highway Department – The Rock & Pipe Letting for the County & Townships was on January 19th. Pipe prices were down approximately 25%. Rock prices were up approximately 15%. At the IACE District 7 meeting last week, it was reported that all County TARP grants that were applied for are going to be awarded and a letter should be coming soon. Highway Department applied for a grant to fund a soil cement project for the West Liberty Road. Funds will not be available until after July 1st, therefore this project will be planned for the construction year of 2024. Request for bids for the chipper are complete and will be sent out soon with bids being received before the next board meeting. At that time, we hope to discuss the bid award and funding. We worked 2 snow events in January which required plowing and salting. We currently have plans sent to IDOT and waiting on review for a Day Labor Project for Crooked Creek Township. James said he is trying to give the county money instead of a contractor. This project will consist of the County Highway removing and replacing pipe culverts in various locations. County Highway is putting together our Pavement Preservation project which consists of 20.5 miles of chip and seal work using Federal and State funds. The roads programed this year are the CIPS Road, Willow Hill South to County Line and Shamrock Road.
Board of Health – January 23 had meeting. Johnson stated renovations are about complete of the mental health building. Conner and Conner renovations of the current health department building. Audit fees was discussed, and the health department will help with their part of the audit fees.
County Positions/Services
Building Maintenance – It has been several years since the stripping and refinishing of the floors to the county building and courthouse. A bid will be received to see the cost to strip and refinish floor in county building and courthouse. There are supplies currently to do the floors located in the basement of the county building.
County Jail and Sheriff Office – The building has been moving along. Anticipating finishing dispatch and moving soon. Minor things to do here and there, hopefully moving in a month. Lawrence County toured our jail because they are looking to possibly build a new jail. Douglas County maybe also touring the jail also.
Information Technology Consultant – Estimate on upgrading some equipment was presented. Wireless will possibly be on grant. Upgrading ambulance wireless bridges like to see done this year. Kemper will be managing the network. Possibly go to Microsoft Cloud server in the future. Weddell would like for board members to look over and ask questions, and vote on next month. The cameras need their own workstations to show video from cameras. It is a huge CPU load for cameras and running other programs. Deters asked about purchasing a new computer for highway department.
Supervisor of Assessment Office – Matson said things are going well and will be publishing in the paper if tomorrow morning goes as planned, so on schedule like last year. Board of Review would be meeting. Thanked Bigard and Tarr for their help.
Animal Control – Report in Packet
Elected Officials
Treasurer: Reports from Bigard was sent in the board packet. Bigard stated the income for state/general fund income of $ 193,910.56, and the personal property income of $105,510.39 with a total income for January of $347,740.38. The expenses for January $278,348.69. Total income less expenses for January a net profit of $69,391.69. Gave yearly totals also and going in the right direction. Weddell asked for reports of jail project, down to the last $200,000 on the project.
Other Elected Officials/Offices
Dora Griffith stated the data entry position for the probation has been filled by Stacie Rice.
Heltsley made a motion to approve the consent agenda containing the following items: Approval of County Board January 12, 2023 Minutes; Authorize Supervisor of Assessments Office Credit Card Limit Increase; File County Reports including the 6-Month Reports and Allow Claims. Spiker seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Old Business: None
New Business:
Item A – Discussion on VISION 2031 – Jasper County Government Strategic Plan
February 15, 2031, will mark the 200th anniversary of Jasper County and Newton. Vision 2031 is designed to develop a Jasper County Government Strategic Plan for where we want to be in 2031. Strategic planning helps our county government realize its long-term vision by setting up goals and objectives in a systematic, incremental manner. Simply put, it makes you take a look at what’s going on today, where you want to be tomorrow, and which steps you will need to take to get there. Warfel has included an overview of Vision 2031 and the process. Warfel encourages all departments, offices, and elected officials to be thinking about strategic planning. Over the next few months, Warfel wants to work toward developing a comprehensive Jasper County Government strategic plan. This plan would address assessments, vision, goals, and action plans at the department/office level but also be formulated together for a larger-scale vision for the entire County Government. The first step in the process Warfel asks board members to help initiate with in their respective departments/offices is the initial Assessments Phase. Each department/office should conduct an analysis that looks at SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that could affect your department/office or the County as a whole. This should be both an internal and external assessment meaning looking at the department/office from the inside but also from the outside as a citizens or someone who interacts with your department/office. Once initial assessments have taken place over the next few weeks and months Warfel would like to come together in the April/May timeframe to discuss crafting a VISION. What do we want the future of Jasper County Government to look like? After some careful thinking on a VISION we can have follow-up sessions to discuss GOAL setting, on how do we achieve what we want. This includes objectives and strategy. Once a vision and goals have been established, we can formulate a County Government Action Plan that can be well thought out. The final step is the adoption of the plan. Keeping in mind a strategic plan is to serve as a guide not a set of directions. Warfel’s goal is to have a Jasper County Government Strategic Plan to adopt by the end of the Fiscal Year November 30, 2023. This plan if well thought out will help us set budgets, allocate resources, determine resource and personnel needs for Jasper County Government for years to come. Bollman spoke about the Energy Transition Grant (related to the closing of the power plant) and how we want to spend the money a project/plan.
Item B –Approval to Keep Closed Session Minutes Confidential (Action After Executive Session)
Item C – Approval to Destroy Verbatim Recordings of Closed Session Prior to August 2021 (Action After Executive Session)
Board Comments: None
Chairman Comments: Congressman Mike Bost had a representative Katie Main here at the County Building for Mobile Office Hours from 10 am to 3 pm to answer any questions or concerns. At least once a year if not more they hope to hold office hours here in Jasper County. We were the first County they held traveling office hours. Congressman Mike Bost now represents 34 counties in Southern Illinois including Jasper County. United Counties Council of Illinois had its January Meeting in Springfield on Monday, January 23. I attended items discussed included the Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act, Local Records Act, County Budgeting, County Administrator Position, County Code-Powers of Boards, State Officials & Employees’ Ethics Definitions. UCCI holds monthly meetings I try to attend as many as possible if any other board members would like to join me please get a hold of me. Next meeting is on February 27th. Upcoming UCCI/ICRMT Dates to be aware of: Legislative Conference in Springfield on Tuesday, March 28 and Wednesday, March 29. The Annual ICRMT meeting will also be held on March 28th following the UCCI meeting. If any board members or elected officials are interested in attending either let me or the Clerk know. ICRMT Insurance Program Policy Updates Risk Management Trust Pages 218-477. Invitation to the 2023 Conference in Springfield on May 24 & 25 included on page 478. Brad Watson Senior Director of Community Affairs from Vistra (the Company that owns the Power Plant) contacted me about a possible visit in March to Jasper County. We have scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, March 22 here in the County Board room at 10:30 a.m. This is to brief community leaders on the latest plans for the Newton Power Plant Site. In addition, I received correspondence from Vistra’s legal counsel with site plans for proceeding forward with the solar and battery storage. Site plan was included on page 496 of the Board Packet. Construction on Vistra’s solar project 51.8 MGW which is taking place on the property they currently occupy is set to start the 2nd half of this year. EJ Water will be hosting Congressman Mike Bost for a meet and greet next Tuesday, February 14 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. In our board room at EJ Headquarters in Dieterich. We are inviting local officials to join. Please let me know this evening if you would like to attend so we have a head count for next week. County Offices closed on Monday, February 20th for President’s Day Holiday
Executive/Closed Session: Weddell made motion for the board to enter into executive session under the following exceptions: Discussion of Personnel (exception 1) and Discussion of Minutes of Meeting Lawfully Closed (exception 21). Geier seconded the motion. Motion passed with Bollman, Deckard, Geier, Heltsley, Judson, Spiker, Warfel, and Weddell voting yes. Pickens was absent. 6:50 pm
Reentered open session 7:06 pm.
We are required semi-annually to meet to review the minutes of all closed session meetings and determine if confidentially still exists or if the minutes or portions are no longer required to remain confidential. Geier made motion to keep closed session minutes confidential. Bollman seconded the motion. The motion was approved on a voice vote.
After 18 months assuming a written copy is kept, we can destroy the verbatim record of the closed session meetings. We did this last in September 2022 and thus all verbatim records have been destroyed before March 2021. Another action this month would allow all records to be destroyed before August 2021. Heltsley made motion to destroy verbatim recordings of closed session prior to August 2021. Weddell seconded the motion. The motion was approved on a voice vote.
Leroy Frohning family daughter Cheryl Matson from the county clerk’s office sent a thank you for the condolence gift.
The position is open for the Economic Development Coordinator.
Geier moved to adjourn at 7:13 pm. Bollman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Next Regular Board Meeting will be Thursday, March 16th at 6:00 p.m.
*Please Note that is the 3rd Thursday of the Month*
Amy Tarr, Jasper County Clerk
