County Board Moving Ahead on Budget

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Published on October 19 2020 6:20 pm
Last Updated on October 19 2020 6:20 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County board members Monday approved a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2021 for 30-day layover. 

Tax and Finance Committee Chair Rob Arnold said after the meeting that the measure calls for less than $100 more income than outgo, but it's still a balanced budget. Arnold thinks a little more massaging of the budget might be needed before its formal adoption in November. That's due in part since work continues on the county's commercial insurance package, which appears to involve a premium increase of 10%-15%. The new county fiscal year begins December 1.

County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel told the Board that he's seeing big numbers for the November 3 election from those who are voting ahead of time. Hirtzel said 2,205 early votes have been received, along with 1,510 vote by mail ballots. He reminded again that those letters received from the Secretary of State's office last week can be disregarded if you plan to vote another way. He also reminded that Election Judge School is set for Tuesday at the Effingham Performance Center at 9am, 1pm, and 5:30pm.

The Board Monday approved another set of supplemental judges.

The Board retroactively proclaimed October 4-10 as National 4-H Week in the county. 4-H representative Elizabeth Weidner, who we shared earlier received national recognition from 4-H, shared via Zoom that she will continue representing some of our "most vulnerable population, children battling cancer." Of course, Elizabeth is one of those young people herself, dealing with neuroblastoma. 

(ELIZABETH WEIDNER APPEARED REMOTELY MONDAY BEFORE THE EFFINGHAM COUNTY BOARD TO DISCUSS NATIONAL 4-H WEEK)

Board members created a Landfill Expansion Committee. Landfill 33 is seeking to expand the county landfill just outside Effingham. No one was appointed to the committee; that will come following the election as Board Chairman Jim Niemann has expressed that newly-elected board members should be part of the process. Local recycling supporter Bill Elving volunteered to serve on the committee. Niemann said he believes that the committee is to be made up of board members, but thanked Elving for his willingness to serve.

The Board named Effingham Fire Chief Bob Tutko to a new term on the Ambulance Oversight Committee, and approved County Coroner Kim Rhodes' request to relocate her office in the County Office Building from the fourth floor to the third floor.

Rhodes took time Monday to report on the death of a Mexican native who died on a bus traveling through the county recently. She spoke of the man's family members who came to Effingham to retrieve the body and his belongings, and thanked County Health Administrator Jeff Workman and Chaplain Carol Gapsis for their help in the process.

County Economic Advisory Board Dave Campbell reported that Steve Davis of Steve's Liquor and Snacks has paid off early the loan he received to start up his business, and said that $22,000 is available for other firms looking to start up or expand in the county.

County Treasurer Paula Miller reminded that this Friday, October 23, is the deadline to pay at least the first installment of your Effingham County property tax bill and avoid the 1-1/2% per month penalty for late payment of your tax bill.