Jasper County Board Has Busy Meeting

Jasper County Board members covered a variety of topics at this month's meeting.

The Board heard from Lindsay Vogt, Tony Trimble and Mike Evans with Jasper County Farm Bureau. The trio presented a plaque in recognition of Jasper being the first county board in the state to sign a resolution supporting agriculture.

The Board's Ambulance Committee reported on ambulance rig replacement. The information indicated that one rig needs replaced soon. The Board of Health reported that the Mental Health Building is complete and should be occupied for the new year.

Board members reviewed the opening of the new county jail and sheriff's office. The building opened mid-month. One board member noted that the building was completed without having to raise taxes, and that the county would not have a jail if a new jail had not been built because of state requirements for a facility.

County Clerk Amy Tarr thanked the board for approving the digitalization of records. The work should be completed sometime in the spring. Currently, the county has available to the public to search recorded documents from 2009 forward. You can find them at recordhub.cottsystems.com. You can sign up for free and only have to pay if you print copies of a document.

The Jasper board accepted the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court's appointment of Lindsay Wantuck as public defender, and approved the appointment of Ron Heltsley to the Board of Health for a three-year term.

The Board adopted the tax levy for the coming county fiscal year, and approved work at the Courthouse to fix water leaks. Ron Heltsley was also named Liquor Control Commissioner for the county.

2031 will mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of Jasper County, and board members were asked to start thinking as to how to appropriately recognize the milestone.