County Board Approves Moccasin Road Resurfacing Contract

The Effingham County Board Monday voted to concur in the award of a contract to resurface a portion of the Moccasin Road.

The work involves a three-mile stretch of the roadway, west from the four-way stop at Lake Sara Road. The bid came in at $1,759,669.68, well under the estimated cost of $2.4 million. 

The Board approved a contract with DEV NET tax administration software for use by the County Clerk, County Treasurer and County Supervisor of Assessments offices, and approved an agreement with the City of Altamont for GIS data. The County waived any fee for Altamont, as they did for the city of Effingham, following a practice of the past several years.

The Board voted to pay bills from credit vendors when they are received to avoid late fees and will then reimburse the expense at their next meeting. Also approved was the appointment of Tony Siemer to another term on the Airport Commission, Janelle Eck to the Housing Authority, and Todd Hull to the Southeastern Illinois Economic Development Authority.

Board members voted to allow use of the Courthouse Courtyard for the EffingHAM-JAM on July 21 and for FACE Orchestra concerts on July 13 and August 10, and agreed to approve an updated Rebuild Round 3 grant application. Also approved was the disbursement of $778.33 in ARPA funding for tree removal and tree replacement, and a number of disbursements of hotel/motel funds, including $1,000 for the Effingham Noon Rotary 4th of July fireworks display, $1,000 to Edgewood Fest, $1,500 to the Dieterich 4th of July fireworks display, and $5,000 to the Effingham County Fair.

The Board passed a resolution regarding personal property replacement tax distribution, approved an update to the personnel policy regarding disability reasonable accommodations, and approved a pay increase for the State's Attorney's Victim Witness Advocate using grant funds from the Violent Crime Victims' Assistance Act.

Also Monday, County Clerk Michelle Kollmann reported that digitization work has been completed in her office and that new voter ID cards will be distributed this summer, Sheriff Paul Kuhns reported that work continues to fill vacancies in his office following the retirement of Larry Finfrock as chief deputy earlier this year, State's Attorney Aaron Jones said that work continues toward his office going as paperless as possible in the near future, Board member Norbert Soltwedel said a meeting with county office administrators on July 11 to start work on the coming fiscal year's budget, and Board member Sandra Gillet reported that 21 individuals have been served through the County's 377 budget over the past year.