County Board Approves Levy, Budget

The Effingham County Board approved a budget for the new fiscal year and passed a tax levy to provide funding for next year.

The budget calls for a few dollars more in income than in outgo. 

The votes on the budget and on the levy were both 7-2, with members Dave Campbell and Mike DePoister voting No on both measures.

The Board also voted to approve Effingham County 911 borrowing $620,000 from First National Bank of Dieterich to help pay for new dispatching equipment. The loaned funds will be paired with $500,000 in reserves to finance the purchase. Member Karen Luchtefeld voted No on the proposal.

Board members voted to approve an ordinance abating any increase in property taxes in the proposed new Effingham City/County Enterprise Zone and an intergovernmental agreement to allow the creation of the Zone. Also approved was an amended ethics ordinance. The amendment addresses a desire to eliminate nepotism in county departments.

The Board named Tammy Rich to the Ambulance Oversight Committee, and appointed deputy liquor commissioners to serve under County Board Chairman Jim Niemann, who is Liquor Commissioner for the county. The deputy commissioners include Sheriff Dave Mahon, Chief Deputy Paul Kuhns, Detective Corporal William Arnold, Patrol Sergeant Larry Finfrock, Corporal William Frese and Sergeant John Niccum of the sheriff's department, along with County Health Department Administrator Rebecca Merten.

Also approved were a plat of a one-lot subdivision on the southeast corner of Illinois Routes 32-33 and Lake Sara Road, reportedly to be the site of a Dollar General store, award of bids for rock, a county maintenance resolution for $1.1 million in motor fuel tax revenue for road maintenance, and approved County Engineer Greg Koester's salary including a 1.5% increase.