Jasper Board Discontinues Solid Waste Program

The Jasper County Board Thursday voted to discontinue its solid waste program.

For many years, containers have been placed in rural areas throughout the county for the convenience of county residents. For several months now, there have been complaints that those who live outside the county are taking advantage of the dumpsters and running up costs to the county.

So, for now, the recycle bins will be removed from public use due to the abuse.

The Board also continued their discussion of expanding the Jasper County Jail.

First Mid-State discussed a bond project to fund the project. The Board also discussed different options of construction, including a possible steel structure added to the 1986 portion. The committee looking into the project has done some measuring and priced a structure, not including dirt week, that measures 90 feet by 90 feet. The goal is doing the project in phases on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The Board discussed the audit of the past fiscal year. Krista McClaren of Kemper CPA Group said it was a challenging audit year due to the software conversion, but said it is a clean audit. The County has $47,000 in liabilities related to the ambulance department, and the Board heard that $148,000 is owed in sick time and vacation to employees if their employment was terminated.

The software conversion caused some balances to be incorrect, but they are now balanced and corrected. An error in property tax extension will be adjusted with the extension this year.

There was discussion of the pending retirement of Ken Larimore from Extension and as Economic Development Director as of July 31, and how to fill the vacancy and the Board heard from three Jasper County CEO students on their year in the program. There was discussion of an application for preliminary engineering on a guardrail project involving various areas in the county, and the Board named Ron Diel to a three-year term on the County Board of Review.