County Board Passes Tax Levy w/Increased Funding for Health Department

Effingham County Board members Monday passed a fiscal year tax levy that includes a 1.8% increase to help fund the County Health Department.

County Board Chairman Jim Niemann said that all of the increase would go to the health department. 

Health Department Administrator Jeff Workman said the funds would help the department receive national accreditation, making the department eligible for Federal funds. Workman said Clay County was working on the accreditation before Clay and Effingham counties' departments started sharing resources. When the sharing began, Effingham County was allowed to come under a grant Clay County received to assist in obtaining accreditation.

Workman said the results of the accreditation work might not be immediately seen, but should in the next year or two.

The vote on the tax levy was 7-2 in favor, with John Perry and Lloyd Foster voting No.

The Board also appointed a Waste Management Committee. The group is made up of Brian Hayes of Landfill 33, Effingham City Clerk Kelsey Lock to represent City interests, Amber Wille of the Effingham County Health Department, and community-at-large representative Bill Elving.

The committee was Niemann's idea. He said the County Board under the chairmanship of Carolyn Willenburg agreed to have tipping fees, but set no fees. Niemann said he'd either like to see fees set, or to abolish the tipping fee. 

The County Board also named David Campbell to the 911 Board to succeed Mike DePoister as the County Board representative, named incoming City Police Chief Jeff Fuesting to the 911 Board to succeed Mike Schutzbach or whoever Fuesting designates for the position, and named new Board member John Perry to succeed Rob Arnold on the Community Development Committee.

The County Board also:

--set the mileage rate for vehicles used on County business at 50 cents/mile, the same rate as in the past

--contracted with the State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor Service to assist the County on cases that go on appeal

--agreed to continue meeting on the third Monday of each month during 2017

--awarded to the low bidders the bids on road maintenance materials for the new year

--designated motor fuel tax funds for county maintenance work, and for half the salary of County Engineer Greg Koester

--passed a resolution of support for efforts to make sure the State addresses the funding of local road work

--agreed to meet in special session at 3:30pm on December 29 to pass the budget for the new fiscal year