County Board Learns Due Dates for Property Tax Bills

Effingham County board members Monday learned the due dates for this year's county property tax bills.

Bills will be in the mail this Friday, July 20. At least the first installment of your bill must be paid by August 24 to avoid a 1-1/2% per month interest penalty for late payment of your bill. The second installment will be due October 19.

The tax cycle was successfully completed despite the departure of longtime county treasurer Steve Dasenbrock late in the process. Dasenbrock has taken a job in the private sector, but stayed with the County until late in the tax cycle.

The Board Monday also passed a resolution setting up protocol for emergency assistance to local veterans. The funds will come from a $2,000 donation from the local Elks Lodge.

The Board approved an amendment in the county's truancy ordinance, adding an ordinance violation to criminal violations as punishment options for parents who are judged to have allowed their child to be a truant. The change was at the request of Regional School Superintendent Julie Wollerman, who had the punishment option in other counties she oversees.

The Board approved several judges to oversee elections through March 2020. County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel said other names have been filed since the deadline for Monday's meeting, so will be approved at subsequent meetings.

The Board authorized the sale of property for easements to the city along Airport Road for sewer line work. They also approved Ron Will to fill a vacancy on the Ambulance Oversight Committee, Twila Orr to a spot on the County Board of Health, and Jim Westendorf, Dennis Niemerg and Steve Borries as trustees to the St. Francis Drainage District.

Board member Dave Campbell reported almost $45,000 is now available in the County's Revolving Loan Fund for new or expanding businesses; board member Karen Luchtefeld read a statement condemning the separation of children and parents as part of the policy regarding undocumented immigrants; and Hirtzel shared that people are already inquiring about how to file for election in the Spring 2019 balloting. Those elections are when seats on school boards are filled.