Niemann Says County's Hands Are Tied by Census Guidelines

Effingham County Board Chairman Jim Niemann Monday said, "it is a nightmare".

"It" is the status of the Census and the inability of counties to comply with the law as far as redistricting.

Niemann told other board members "I'm supposed to be giving the Board a plan, but no Census data is available." 

There are certain guidelines to be met to get redistricting completed. Niemann said the Census is complete, but the Census data is not expected to be available until the Fall, which makes it impossible to comply with the guidelines.

The redistricting involves making sure the nine County Board districts have approximately the same population. All of the work is to be completed and in place in advance of the Fall 2022 election, when all nine Board seats are up for grabs. There is some sentiment for delaying the election to allow more time to get redistricting completed, which Governor J.B. Pritzker could do by executive order, but Niemann said Pritzker stated that he is getting away from issuing executive orders.

Also Monday, the County Board passed a resolution calling for Pritzker and the General Assembly to protect local control of zoning and land use. The Jasper County Board passed the resolution last week. Effingham County doesn't have zoning outside municipalities.

Board member Rob Arnold said the County's Ambulance Oversight Committee wants to create a group to lay the groundwork for requesting proposals to serve as the county's ambulance service. The goal is to get the next ambulance service, either Abbott EMS or another agency, in place within six months of the expiration of the current Abbott contract at the end of April 2022 so, if there 's a change in services, that there's time for an orderly transition.

Also Monday, the County Board:

--appointed Brian Lustig to fill the remainder of the late Elwin Stuemke's term as a trustee of the Altamont Fire Protection District and to appoint Kyle Willenburg as an Altamont trustee until May 2024

--appointed Duane Kremer as a trustee of the Teutopolis Fire Protection District until May 2024

--appointed Donnye Davis as a Watson Fire Protection District trustee until May 2024

--donated $1,000 for the Dieterich 4th of July Fireworks

--donated $2,000 for the Montrose Sesquicentennial

--donated $4,000 to the Mill Road Thresherman's Association

--released the $47,000 balance due the U of I Extension in the county after reviewing the work done by Extension during the pandemic

--approved two engineering services agreement for bridge projects, one in Banner Township along 600th Street, the other in Liberty Township along 400th Street

--appointed board member David Campbell to the County Housing Authority

--heard from Campbell that $36,000 remains in the County revolving loan fund for new or expanding businesses

--heard from Sheriff Dave Mahon regarding the 2nd Amendment that his department "won't be confiscating anyone's guns"

--heard from County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel that the 12.51% voter turnout in the April election made him "disappointed in the people of Effingham County", but hopes they will turn out in big numbers for the 2022 election.