County Board Fills Various Positions

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Published on June 20 2016 5:55 pm
Last Updated on June 20 2016 5:55 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County Board members Monday voted to fill various positions.

The Board named Gail Garbe and Betsy D. Scott as members of the Mental Health 708 Board for three-year terms.

Mike Tate, who was a longtime member of the Board, then was not reappointed, then briefly filled a vacancy, was again not appointed to the Board. Tate was not recommended for a term in a committee meeting earlier this month.

The vote to appoint Garbe and Scott was 4-3 with Dave Campbell, Mike DePoister, Lloyd Foster and Jeff Simpson voting to approve, and Rob Arnold, Joe Thoele and Karen Luchtefeld voting against. Doug McCain abstained from the vote. Chairman Jim Niemann did not vote on the question.

Fred Bray was named to the 377 Board, which helps with allocation of funds for those with developmental disabilties. Bray succeeds Joan Garbe of Dieterich, who asked not to be reappointed after 41 years on the Board.

Thoele was named to the Farmland Assessment Review Board; Phil Toops was named to the Airport Commission; Larry Thies and Johnathan Paholke were Public Safety members of the 911 Board; Julie Stephens and Cody Hartke were named At Large members of the 911 Board; and Wayne Rubach was named an At Large member of the 911 Board filling the vacancy created by Ted Heath's resignation due to a move out of Effingham County. Dr. Michael Williamson was named to the County Board of Health, replacing Heath.

Karen Mahaffey and Billy Genaust were named to the Housing Authority Board.

The Board approved a Title XX grant for funding for the county's public transportation system. Toops, who oversees the transportation network for the county, said the county will oversee the network by utilizing CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation, in place of RIDES Mass Transit System. Toops said after the meeting he feels the change will give the county greater accountability over the system.

The Board also approved a $94,000 U of I Extension Budget for the state fiscal year beginning July 1; approved a $3,000 donation to the Effingham County Fair principally to help with security costs; approved distribution of personal property replacement tax funds; and reaffirmed "In God We Trust" as the official motto of the United States.

Transportation improvement projects were approved, including vacation of the old alignment of the West Evergreen Avenue extension; approved an intergovermental agreement on the replacement of a bridge in Mound Township about one mile east of Altamont; and awarded a contract to replace a bridge in Liberty Township about one mile south of Beecher City on 1800th Avenue.

The Board also recognized Judy Bierman and Crystal Schutzbach for 25 years' service to the Effingham County Health Department.