County rejects working cash fund, takes loan; County Engineer Paul Sly retires after 21 years

The Hancock County Board voted down a resolution to establish a Working Cash Fund.

The board eliminated the Working Cash Fund in the mid 1980s and placed those funds in the General Fund. The board has had to issue tax anticipation warrants in recent years to pay for expenses until the first tax payments come in. The resolution proposed a 2.5 cent tax be set aside for the fund, which would have raised about $62,000 this past tax season. State law limits the fund's maximum amount to $250,000, based on the county's population.

Voting “yes” on the 5-5 “no” vote were Chairman David Walker, Kenneth Nudd, Emmett Postle, Debbie Limkemann, and Steve Bolton, with Randy White and Robert Mapes absent.

The board approved 2.5 percent wage increases over the next three years for the county coroner and circuit clerk. The coroner's salary increases from $13,320 to $14,334 in the three years. The circuit clerk's salary increases from $43,527 to $46,874.

Bill Crabill, Delbert Kreps, Nudd, and Joe Stevenson each voted “no” on the raises for each position. Tom Scheetz also voted “no” on the circuit clerk's raise.

A motion died for lack of a second to increase the per diem fee for board members to $60 per meeting, up from the current $50.

County engineer Paul Sly announced his retirement after 21 years with the county highway department. His retirement is effective as soon as a replacement is hired.

Some people have already expressed interest in the job.

Sly thanked the board for working with him.

“I'd like to express my appreciation for the cooperation with the board over the past 20 plus years,” said Sly. “One thing I'd like to mention, because I think it speaks volumes, is that I've never in all that time been approached by a board member for a favor. I sincerely appreciate that.”

Sly said Connable Road was reopened after the bridge repair immediately north of the Bud Huls residence was completed. The south end of Connable Road is closing again around Sept. 10, to replace a second bridge south of Smokin' Gun Hunting Club.

The board approved borrowing $100,000 in tax anticipation warrants for the County Highway Fund. The money is paid back from the first installment of property taxes, which were recently mailed. The first installment is due Sept. 17.

The board approved a drug policy for the highway department. Details may change once a labor agreement is reached with highway employees.

Sly said the county is receiving about $250,000 after making a case for road damages caused by the detouring of heavy trucks on county roads during the flood.

“The traffic went from 500 vehicles a day to over 5,000 vehicles,” said Sly. “Some of those vehicles were trucks with rock.”

The county's Ambulance Coordinator Perry Cameron requested a budget amendment to amend the budget to include the purchase of the ambulance storage building just east of Carthage.

Board members heard from representatives from Bennett and Middendorf who presented the county audit for the fiscal year 2007. They asked the board to work on compiling a record of all its assets, and pointed out that they still have two separate offices for payroll since the Hancock County Health Department does its own payroll.

Most of the discussion centered on trying to reconcile the ambulance services billed, services collected, and payments that are outstanding. The charges and receipts did not equal the difference in accounts receivable. The problem seems to be the lag between services provided and payment rendered and how that is recorded.

The report also suggested moving the rest of department recording work to computer instead of recording it by hand. It was pointed out that the circuit clerk's office had to rebuild a general ledger because it hadn't been kept up throughout the year due to a staff shortage. Bank statements had not been reconciled for several years. Once the work was done, it showed things were okay.

The board authorized the University of Illinois Extension Service to implement a hazard mitigation plan for the flood plains. The plan is a requirement to receive state and federal funds following the flood.

A resolution passed that added a $5 fee to anyone found guilty in Teen Court to go into a fund for the operation and administration of Teen Court. The circuit clerk collects the fees and gives them to Teen Court each month, minus 5 percent for the circuit clerk's office.

Scheetz asked that copies of an agreement with EcoEnergy for a meterological wind test tower on his wife's land and an agreement between he and EcoEnergy for a possible wind turbine on his farm be entered with the minutes in the interest of full disclosure.

In other news, the board:

€ Passed a resolution authorizing the preparation and recording of deeds to successful bidders on property held by the Hancock County Tax Agent.

€ Approved an advisory resolution asking the Illinois General Assembly to restore payments to county fairs from the Agriculture Premium Fund. The money pays exhibitors who win ribbons at the county fair.

€ Approved John Huston as one of the five Public Building Commissioners. The Commission manages the courthouse, county jail, and Shelter Care Home in Augusta.

€ Approved David Walker and Debbie Limkemann as members of the Western Illinois Regional Council- Community Action Agency board.

The next board meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, third floor of the courthouse.