County Board Places Tentative Budget on File

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Published on October 21 2015 11:13 am
Last Updated on October 21 2015 11:13 am
Written by Greg Sapp

The Effingham County Board voted this week to place a proposed budget for the new fiscal year on file, with a final vote expected at the November meeting.

The measure calls for $9,490,207 in general fund expendtures, as opposed to $9,571,530 in revenues. At least some of the $80,000 more in income than outgo is expected to be eaten up by anticipated increases in health insurance coverage.

The Board approved on a split vote another year's coverage of utility costs at the County Courthouse Museum. Members Joe Thoele, Jeff Simpson and Mike Depoister voted No. The extra year follows five years by the County of covering utility costs for the building. It was also agreed to allocate $10,000 to the Ballard Nature Center from hotel/motel tax dollars. $6,000 of that amount will come from this year's budget, with the balance coming from the budget to begin December 1.

Board members approved a 45MPH speed limit on Pearl Street, south of State Street in Teutopolis, down from 55MPH as has been the case. More residential development along Blue Jay Drive and Cardinal Drive led to the move. The Board also honored Donna Overbeck who is retiring after 35 years with the Effingham County Health Department; passed a resolution asking that the State remove a cap on the number of Enterprise Zones permitted in Illinois; and voted to support an extension of the Central Area TIF District in Effingham and the extension of its boundaries to border the South Central Industrial TIF District. 

The Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with 911 on making telecommunicators available. The agreement includes leaving the rate unchanged for 2016, increasing the rate by 3% in both 2017 and 2018, and approving a 2% hike in 2019. The Board also approved the per capita payment to South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission of $3,456, and agreed to purchase financial software for around $60,000.