County Board Works on Ethics Ordinance; Approves Appointments

Effingham County board members worked on the county's ethics ordinance at this month's meeting.

The Board voted to create an Ethics Advisor and an Ethics Commission. County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel said elected officials cannot serve as the advisor or on the commission. Appointments to the newly-created positions are still to come.

The Board commended the Teutopolis High School baseball team for their state championship won earlier this month; approved GIS intergovernmental agreements with the cities of Altamont and Effingham for another year at no cost to the municipalities; changed the regular meeting time and date of the county Ambulance Oversight Committee to 2pm on the second Tuesday of each month; and tabled a vote on membership in a health insurance sub-pool until more information is obtained.

The Board allocated personal property replacement tax dollars, including $104,000 to the county General Fund; approved the prevailing wage for contracted work; and agreed to apply for a public transportation grant for Effingham County Public Transit.

Several appointments were approved, including Karen Luchtefeld and Dr. Michael Williamson to the County Board of Health until 2019; Tony Siemer to a new term on the County Airport Commission until 2020; Dollie Martin to the County Housing Authority until 2020; John Beckman and Lyle Westfall to the Farmland Assessment Review Committee until 2019; and Aaron Snyder to the Waste Management Committee until 2018.