Jasper County Board Gets Good News

Jasper County Board members got some good news at Thursday night's meeting.

The Board heard from Jan Marshall, who has lived in Newton for 25 years. Marshall said she suffered a heart attack two weeks ago. She contacted the paramedics who decided she needed to go directly to HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield due to the 12-lead EKG in the ambulance. 

Marshall received treatment within an hour of the heart attack due to being airlifted directly to St. John's. Doctors inserted a stent, but there was no heart damage. She thanked the Board for furnishing all ambulances with the 12-lead EKG, and thanked the Board and the ambulance service for their efforts.

There was more good news; the Board's Finance Committee heard the results of the annual audit. Carol Holbert of Holbert and Phipps said it was a clean audit, and reflected good balances in funds.

Circuit Clerk Jamie Blake got approval from the Board to increase four fees for her office. The Court Automation and Document Storage fees will go from $15 to $25 on all civil cases filed. The Law Library fee will go from $6 to $15, DUI cases will go to $30, civil cases to $5, and a second DUI fee will be $100.

Board members approved Officers Swick and Francis being promoted to sergeant, and settled the Union agreement and paid back pay. The Department will also train two part-time dispatchers. It was also reported that a 911 remodel drawing is ready to be discussed.

The Jasper board approved bridge aid petitions for Willow Hill Township and Grove Township and a local agency agreement for federal money in the projects, while Kenneth Campton was approved as a Dieterich Fire District trustee.