County Board Expends ARPA Funds for Several Projects

The Effingham County Board Monday approved a series of allocations of American Rescue Plan, or ARPA, funds.

The Board earmarked $10,000 for work on the county website, approved disbursement of $84,263.04 for Childcare Research Committee Stabilization Grant funds, approved disbursement of $5,000 for a Childcare Research Committee Increased Capacity Program funds, earmarked $30,000 for audio/visual equipment for the County Board Meeting Room, earmarked $75,000 for the Effingham County Fair for a surface for the fair carnival, earmarked $2,500 a handicapped accessible people mover for the Mill Road Thresherman's Association event, and disbursed $10,500 for LED lights for the stop signs at the four-way stop in Montrose.

The Board approved emergency repairs at the county jail. Wind and rain from the north got inside the jail, causing potentially hazardous conditions for inmates and also for jail personnel if things got slick. Effingham County Sheriff Paul Kuhns said Holland and Holland Masonry and Crane of Shelbyville would be getting started on the repairs in two weeks at a cost of $28,940. 

Board members voted to remove a walnut tree on the northeast corner of the courthouse museum square and replacing it with two low maintenance trees, agreed to seek bids on the recently replaced audience chairs in the County Board meeting room, approved a Board of Review job advertisement after April 14 with an autorenewal if unfilled and approved a PCOM job advertisement with the same end date and autorenewal if unfilled, approved a six-month probationary salary increase for County Board Administrator Angela Thompson and changed her job title accordingly, approved a CEFS memorandum of understanding with Shelby County for transportation vehicle use, authorized a grant agreement for transportation needs, approved a public transportation applicant, approved a resolution supporting agriculture on behalf of Farm Bureau, and approved an addition to the employee handbook for county vehicles.

The Board appointed Brenda Winskill to the 708 Board replacing Pat Mear and appointed Sheriff Paul Kuhns to the 911 Board, approved $81,200 in ARPA funds for the Effingham City-County Special Response Team for coordinated law enforcement efforts and approved the basic agreement for the team, appointed Shannon Griffith to the 708 Board, allowed Pacific Life to make benefit presentations to County employees, approved Jim Niemann as EMA Assistant Coordinator to finalize an earlier vote, agreed to disburse $7,500 in hotel/motel funds to Mill Road Thresherman Association, and approved purchase of a service agreement, approved a vehicle lease agreement, and approved a memorandum of understanding with CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation. The Board also approved a county motor vehicle usage record log, and amended the Policy and Procedures Manual to include the County Board Administrator. Angie Thompson was then formally named to the position, eliminating "office" administrator portion of the job title.

Board members Dave Campbell and Norbert Soltwedel both encouraged attention to the broadband funding possibilities available. An informational meeting regarding expansion of broadband service is scheduled Wednesday night at the U of I Extension Office. Board member Doug McCain said that the Health Department hopes to move into a recently purchased building on Blohm Avenue by this summer, Board Chairman Josh Douthit congratulated area sports teams who had successful seasons, State's Attorney Aaron Jones said they are working toward going paperless in the near future, Sheriff Kuhns said they have a need for good people to work in various positions at the jail and for the sheriff's department, County Coroner Kim Rhodes encouraged motorists traveling in the I-70 construction zone in the eastern part of the county to use extra caution to prevent crashes, and County Clerk Michelle Kollmann reminded that early voting in the April 4 election will continue until Monday, April 3. Kollmann said voter turnout is very low. A public test of the voting equipment is set for Friday, March 24.

Board members Chris Keller, Elizabeth Huston and Jeremy Kyle were not present for Monday's meeting.