County Board Considers Change in Ambulance Ground Service Guidelines

The Effingham County Board Monday tabled action on a change in the county's ambulance ground service until their August meeting.

County Board Chairman Jim Niemann said Altamont Ambulance Service operator Terry White is talking with Effingham County State's Attorney Bryan Kibler about language changes and that caused the delay. Niemann said the County wants the legislation to open up non-emergency calls and transfer calls to other operators. He said the Board is also desirous of including a standard of care provision into the new legislation.

Board members approved two loans of economic development funds. $18,200 will be loaned to CW Motorsports of Effingham. The firm plans to branch out into the golf cart business. Owner Cody Willenborg has indicated another two or three jobs could be realized from the expansion. The County seeks at least one job creation from each $15,000 loaned. The other loan of $21,000 goes to JLS Technology Consultants. Niemann voted against the JLS loan, voicing uncertainty as to whether there is enough collateral to back the loan request, but the request was approved 8-1.

The Board approved a list of election judges for the November balloting; authorized the hiring of two part-time employees of the Animal Control department to replace a fulltime person who resigned; appointed Dieterich Village Clerk Brittny Gipson to the county grants committee; and approved two engineering agreements for work on bridges on the Mound-Moccasin Township line and the Liberty-Moccasin Township line.

Board members heard that the county jail passed its annual state inspection, and that the county's emergency operations plan was approved by the State.

The County Board also proclaimed that July 26 through August 3 is Village of Teutopolis Terquasquicentennial Days in Effingham County. Board member Joe Thoele, a Teutopolis resident, was dressed in his 175th birthday finery to read the proclamation.