Effingham County Gets State Recognition, Grant Funds

Effingham County received special recognition at Monday's County Board meeting.

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James Joseph was present to commend the county for serving as a staging area for emergency response during the recent eclipse. Joseph said attention was focused on the Carbondale area since it was the prime location for the eclipse. They began to realize, though, that they needed another location away from the target area but still near enough to respond to any situation. That's when it was decided to utilize the Effingham County Emergency Operations Center on Miracle Avenue on Effingham's south side.

A variety of state agencies and emergency services representatives were stationed at the EOC in the two days ahead of the eclipse and the day following. Joseph said he wanted to attend the next County Board meeting after the eclipse to commend the County for its assistance, with special thanks visited on County EMA Coordinator Pam Jacobs and County Board Chairman Jim Niemann. He also mentioned the County was receiving more than $12,000 in grant funds to further improvements to the EOC.

Also Monday, the County Board:

--approved a recommendation from their insurance committee to accept Weis Insurance for health care coverage including contribution to a HSA

--approved a request spurred by former St. Rep. Glen Bower to plant a Johnny Appleseed tree on the lawn of the Courthouse Museum as part of the observance of Illinois' Bicentennial in 2018. The seeds will come from one of the last remaining trees planted by Johnny Appleseed and is located in Ohio

--heard from Sheriff Dave Mahon that the annual jail inspection report from the State showed no deficiencies in the county jail

--purchased a new app server for an amount not to exceed $13,848

--named Larry Taylor, Jane Reinheimer and Ed Hoopingarner to new terms on the Economic Development Advisory Board

--honored Mike Pruemer who is retiring after 38 years of work for the Effingham County Highway Department

(MIKE PRUEMER LISTENS AS COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN JIM NIEMANN READS A COMMENDATION FOR HIS 38 YEARS' SERVICE)

--approved creation of a four-acre lot to be known as Voyles Subdivision on the southwest part of Effingham down by "The Tunnels" beneath the interstate

--authorized $22,500 in preliminary engineering work on a four-mile stretch of Moccasin Road, west from the four-way stop at Lake Sara Road. County Engineer Greg Koester said the road surface was put down in 1984 and traffic has increased substantially since then

--agreed to purchase additional roadway easement along County Road 13, or the intersection of 2100th Street and 1200th Avenue, also known as Pumping Station Road, in an effort to take some of the jog out of the north-south road and more closely match up the edge of the pavement