Jasper County Board Minutes
COUNTY OF JASPER NEWTON, ILLINOIS
County Office Building 204 W Washington St, Newton, IL 62448
January14th, 2021
The County Board met in regular session on Thursday, January 14th, 2021. 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. Members present were Bollman, Fehrenbacher, Geier, Hall,
Heltsley, Hickox, Kerner, Leffler, Pickens, Swick, Warfel, and Weddell.
Public comments: No Public comments
Warfel asked all board members to review the items on the consent agenda, if any one member wishes
to have an item removed from the consent agenda to discuss and vote on separately, they may request
it. Hall made a motion to approve the agenda. Swick seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice
vote.
Committee Reports: Standing Committees
Ambulance Department: The Jasper County Ambulance Committee met on Wednesday January 6,
2021. Station Update: Jesse Yager agreed to do the snow removal for the station this winter.
Equipment Update: New 2356 is now in service, 2357 is in for some regular service. It was decided to
hold on to old 2356 for a couple of extra months to possibly helping with mass vaccinations. The run
number for 2020 was up 9 runs from 2019 with a total 1,142. It was decided to continue the dispatch
contract with the sheriff’s department for 2021 and will be revisited later this year for the 2022 budget.
Held closed session. The next scheduled ambulance committee meeting will be on Wednesday,
February, 3rd 2021 at 8:30am. Runs are attached.
Buildings: The Building Committee of Jasper County met on Monday, January 11 th , 2021 at 7:00 pm.
Tom’s Report: The work sealing the courthouse has been completed. Bruce Ochs ground down the
raised concrete on all of the walkways around the Courthouse to eliminate tripping hazards. Bruce
noticed the concrete at the bottom of the north steps is crumbling, which could potentially be hazardous
as well. The sump pump in the Courthouse was replaced after it was discovered that it was no longer
working. DM Welding will be repairing damaged handrails and delivering trash cans around the
Courthouse. They were contacted on 01/11/21 but Tom has not heard back from them. The Tourism
Council planted an evergreen tree on the northwest corner of the Courthouse lawn. The elevator in the
Courthouse passed its inspection, some fire extinguishers did need replacing. Tom will be running the
wiring for the surveillance system at the Courthouse. Once that is completed, Barlow’s will come in and
hook up the system. Old Business: No progress has been made with Courthouse or County Building
repairs. Discussion was held about the idea of a pavilion on the Courthouse lawn. Pickens will reach
out to members of the Tourism Board to attend a future meeting to discuss cost and design. In order to
protect the records in the Clerk’s Office, it was discussed to have the records moved to the basement.
It was also discussed whether to utilize wood or metal shelving for the books. No news for the Sheriff
Dept. project. New Business: Rob is working with Barlow's on the surveillance system for the
Courthouse. The concern with charging for personal advertisements on the Courthouse lawn has been
handled. There will no longer be a charge. Next meeting February 8 th at 7:00 pm.
Finance: The Jasper County Finance Committee met on Monday, January 11, 2021. Treasurer’s
Report: Bigard reported the general fund income was $169,648.24 and the expenses were
$210,229.50. Certificate of deposits have come due and more will be coming due. The interest rates
are low 1%, the rates will not affect the budget because did not budget interest income high. Bigard
also brought up the ideas for an outside bulletin board to post agendas. The cost for a bulletin board is
$170. Fehrenbacher made a motion to purchase a bulletin board. Heltsley seconded the motion. The
motion carried on a voice vote. New Business: Swick made a motion to make the annual donation
renewal to JEDI. Hall seconded the motion. Heltsley addressed his concerns. Fehrenbacher
commented how JEDI connects everyone. Miller could help with paperwork for the Enterprise Zone.
There was discussion on agreements. The motion did not carry on voice vote. Fehrenbacher made a
motion to approve the annual personal property replacement tax transfer to IMRF for $16,000. Swick
seconded the motion. The motion carried on a voice vote. Any additional cost above the basic phone
and internet would be the responsibility of the departments with Metro Communications when the new
service is provided. The animal control phone plan has a two year contract. All calls go through
dispatch. Talk to animal control about keeping the phone and using it for calls. The phone and mileage
reimbursement needs to provide detailed documentation. The auditors want detailed information.
Otherwise the board is reckless in paying, has nothing to do with in the budget. Mandate all bill and
mileage and failure to complete will be the bills will not be paid. Heltsley made a motion all bills must
have attached details. Bollman seconded the motion. Motion passed on a voice vote. Accounts payable
get all bills in time and not go through Treasurer’s office. 6 month reports will have due dates of
February and August. 2021 IMRF rates SLEP went down 12.72% to 8.74%; Regular went up a little
8.34% to 8.49%; ECO took a large jump from 184.82% to 267.62%. Costing the county $53,000. Old
Business: 2020 Cures Act Grant has been paid to the county. The question of what to do with the
money, it is in the General Fund. Some departments had applied for reimbursements through FEMA
and did not get. Departments should be reimbursed for the COVID expenses. EMA vehicles need a
place to be stored or someplace to house them. Talk of a 40×60 building at the highway department
with a separate entrance. Ed Francis and Ben Bland will decide where it will be located. Costs for the
items will need to be gathered. The Sheriff Department would have some additional costs after they
had applied for FEMA money. Circuit clerk, ambulance and sheriff department heads figure what
reimbursement for related additional expense due to COVID for next month. Bigard has applied for
$100,000 more. Next meeting Monday, February 8, 2021 at 8:30 am at the County Building
Highway Department: Road and Bridge met January 11, 2021 at 7:00 am. Resolution Appropriating
Funds for County Engineer’s Salary and Resolution Appropriating Fund for Payment of Expenses and
Salary of County Engineer was presented to committee for approval. Kerner mad a motion and was
seconded by Pickens to approve the Resolutions. Motion carried. Resolution will need full board
approval. Resolution for the Renewal of the Material Tax was also presented to committee for approval.
This Renewal must be placed on the ballot every 5 years in the April Election. This Material Tax money
is only spent on rock and oil for the County Roads. This is not a new tax. Hickox made a motion and
was seconded by Swick to approve the Resolution. Motion carried. Resolution will need full board
approval. Discussion was held on storing the ESDA trailer. EMA Director, Ed Francis and County
Engineer, Ben Bland will pursue getting prices on a new building for the next meeting. Resolution will
need full board approval. Foreman’s mileage for December 2020 was 1,400 miles. The next scheduled
meeting will be on February, 8 th 2021 at 7:00am.
Operations: The County Operations Committee of Jasper County The next monthly meeting will be
January 27, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.
Public Safety: Public Safety met December 21, 2020 at 6:00 pm. Sheriff Francis – Shop with a Cop
was held December 10. 60 kids participated. Four new corrections officers’ graduated the academy and
are working at the jail. Brief up-date on the new law enforcement center. Advised that he was contacted
by Daniel Alzate about not paying the dispatch fees of $25,000 due to the Sheriff. At this time, there
was a brief discussion about the money due. It would be in the ambulance budget and any further
discussion should be through the ambulance committee. Ed Francis (EMA Director) talked about the
storage for the trailer and truck, possibly at the county highway garage. All other possible locations
were exhausted. This request will be forwarded to road and bridge committee meeting. Francis also
requested that county email about committee meeting of public safety be forwarded to city hall, due to
EMA being a Co-op committee. Ferguson advised there were not problems currently in animal control.
Hew was going to get an estimate to have a new cage built for his truck, to transport dogs. He was still
using Ray Watkins old cage and wanted to return it. Meyer advised that he has never gotten email from
the county and would like to be added to the county list. Next meeting will be January 18, 2021 at 6:00
pm.
Special Committee
Law Enforcement Center Planning Committee: The Law Enforcement Center Planning Committee
met on Wednesday, December 16th, 2020. Old Business: Woodard talked about the current state of
the project and contact with the Department of Corrections. Jail and Detention Standards Unit manager
Bowen was on hand to discuss issues. New Business: Raibley and Wright (ADG) discussed the
comments they had received from DOC:
Lack of Recreation Room – Standards require an exercise room or outside yard. Issues could be
reconciled by installing some pull up bars and equipment in day room area using commissary
funds.
Square Feet in Day Room – Standards require 140 square feet or 35 feet per inmate.
Seating in Day Room – Standards require a seat per person.
Ventilation in Pods/Cells – Standards require adequate ventilation but separation of cells by sex.
Bowen with Department of Corrections, discussed other items for consideration including the use of
technology and technology kiosk. Housing juveniles’ short term was discussed. Maximum time
allowed at our jail is currently is 6 hours before moving to a juvenile facility. If kept longer complete
separation (out of sight and sound) would be required and regular departmental inspections and
compliance. Bowen talked about chronic noncompliance of a jail facility, if the county didn’t take steps
to address the current jail. The facility would face potential fines, the loss of insurance coverage and
potential shut down by the Illinois Attorney General. Bowen warned that a potential wrongful death
lawsuit, as a result of the inadequate facilities, would be a heavy burden in terms of cost on the County
and taxpayers for years. It was mentioned that the proposed facility was in-line with a county the size
of Jasper. With a facility this new, housing additional inmates from out of county, if space allowed,
could be an additional source of revenue. Architecture & Design Group presented a bill for $70,000 for
part of the design fee. Mike Ochs discussed the need to relocate lines/equipment and discussed
timeframe of boring new lines. DOC called has approved plan.
Informative
Board of Health- Monthly Report in packet.
Chamber of Commerce-Met last Monday met with bar owners, tour of all bars all summer.
Economic Development (JEDI) – Monthly Report in packet. Annual JEDI Celebration: February 2 nd ,
2021 @ 10:30am via Zoom. Send nominations for Economic Person/Business of the Year to Scott
Bierman or Ed Webb.
Heltsley made a motion to approve the consent agenda containing the following items: Approval of
County Board December 10, 2020 Minutes; Approval of December and January Standing Committee
Minutes; Adopt Resolution Appropriating Funds for County Engineer’s Salary; Adopt Resolution
Appropriating Funds for Payment of Expenses and Salary of County Engineer; Appointment of Dr.
Ryan Jennings (Physician) to a 3-Year Term (February 2021) Board of Health; Appointment of Dr.
Jillian Scherer (Physician) to a 3-Year Term (February 2021) Board of Health; Appointment of Mary
Finley (At-Large) to a 3-Year Term (February 2021) Board of Health; File County Reports; Allow
Claims; Weddell seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Old business:
Law Enforcement Center Update:
Layout has been approved by DOC. There were items that had to be changed. This is not final approval
but nothing needed until final plan. Need to take to bid to see what the cost for the jail will be. There are
some costs to bid, the first bidding is included. If the county would have to bid again in later months,
then would cost an amount. Two weeks away from opening bids, 30 days for bids to be open. Bids will
be for the project to be completed in phases and for tearing down and building. Open bids first week of
March and then the bids will be good for 45 days. Reached out to 6 or 8 contractors that would possibly
be interested, they will have to be able to bond project. Value engineering would be after bids, could be
different items. Staging will add to the cost. Have complete in 8 months.
New Business
Heltsley made a motion to authorize ADG/Connor & Connor to Proceed with Formal Solicitation of Bids
for Construction of Law Enforcement Center. Swick seconded the motion. Motion passed on a roll call
vote with Bollman, Fehrenbacher, Geier, Hall, Heltsley, Kerner, Pickens, Swick, Warfel, Hickox and
Weddell voting yes. Leffler voting no.
Renewal of the Material Tax is very important for the county. In 1991 the Material Tax was on the ballot
for the first time, this will be the 6 th time on ballot. The tax is used for materials only. The tax passed for
the first time the county had 60 miles of gravel roads, this material tax has allowed to make hard roads
and maintaining them. 200 miles of road maintained by the county. 50 miles of road are oiled yearly if
the county would not have the tax then it would only allow for half of them to be oiled yearly. This is not
a new tax; it is a renewal. The tax rate has not increased since 1991. Kerner made a motion to adopt
Resolution for the Renewal of the Material Tax. Hickox seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice
vote. Hickox says important for public to understand what will be on the ballot.
The Family First Coronavius Response Act was enacted at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, and
provided for Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family Medical Leave to eligible employees
who are unable to work for reasons related to the ongoing health pandemic for two weeks (up to 80
hours). Notably, the mandate to provide paid leave under the Response Act is set to expire on
December 21, 2020, and then recently passed stimulus package will not extend the requirement that
employers provide Emergency Paid Sick Leave or Expanded Family Medical Leave beyond this date.
Rather, the relief bill only extended the tax-credit available to employers who voluntarily provide
qualifying leave until March 31, 2021. As result, starting January 1, 2021, employers will no longer be
required to provide paid leave under the Response Act, but may choose to voluntarily provide such
leave until March 31, 2021. If the county wishes to extend the Emergency Paid Sick Leave until March
31, 2021 am motion and majority vote is required. If the county does not wish to extend the Emergency
Paid Sick leave, no motion is needed. Fehrenbacher made a motion to extend the Emergency Paid
Sick Leave. Leffler seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Board Comments:
Heltsley spoke on the law enforcement bill. If you see a police officer encourage the law enforcement
and tell them you support them.
Chairman’s Comments:
Warfel seconded Heltsley. Also, those working in the judicial system. It will directly cause undue burden
to communities including our county.
Miller commented it is going to cause burden fall directly on the police officers financially and with
insurance, it could become very costly.
Warfle asked the building committee to consider adding signage to the front of the building also at their
next meeting.
No Closed Session
Leffler moved to adjourn at 7:51 pm. Bollman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a voice vote.
The next board meeting will be Thursday, February 11 th , 2021 at 7:00 pm.
Amy Tarr, Jasper County Clerk
