County Board Passes on Authorizing Lakeside EMS; Approves Contract w/Circuit Clerk Employees

The Effingham County Board Monday again tabled a letter of authorization for Lakeside EMS to operate in the county.

Lakeside has filed suit in Federal court against the County and against County Board Chairman Jim Niemann regarding the failure to issue the letter of authorization.

Board member John Perry wondered whether issuing the letter of authorization would lead to Lakeside dropping the suit. Lakeside owner Jerrod Estes was present for the Board meeting. When Perry asked him whether such an action would lead to dropping the suit, Estes said not now since he doesn't feel he should be out the attorney's costs involved in filing the Federal suit and in defending the Circuit Court action brought by the County, seeking relief against Lakeside operating in the county. Emergency relief against Lakeside was denied, but that matter is still pending in circuit court.

While the County has a contract with Abbott EMS for exclusive emergency ambulance service, several other ambulance services are in and out of the county handling routine transfers. Lakeside contends that they should have that same opportunity.

Some County officials fear that if Lakeside is authorized, Abbott might file suit against the County. State's Attorney Bryan Kibler also favored tabling the matter, since the County has no input from CIRMA, the insurance company that is covering the County's cost of any litigation.

The Board's action to table the matter of a letter of authorization for Lakeside will be revisited at the November meeting.

The County Board also approved a four-year contract with the Fraternal Order of Police local representing employees of the Circuit Clerk's office. The employees received the same wage increases as in other employee contracts: 2%, 2-1/4%, 2-1/2% and 2-1/2%. A signing ceremony will take place in the near future.

Board members laid over a budget for the fiscal year that will begin December 1. Tax and Finance Committee Chairman Rob Arnold said the measure at present forecasts $113,225 more in outgo than in income. Board member Jeff Simpson, a committee member, said some of the county office holders and department heads have made "significant cuts."

The Board voted 8-1 to renew a real estate tax and vitals software contract for five years. Perry voted No saying the matter should have been bid out. Board members voted to make a per capita payment to South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission of $4,000 for grant writing and other services. A bid for voice and data cabling work was awarded to Field Wrxs of Effingham for $29,347 in preparation for a new phone system. It was agreed to approved a budget amendment appropriation to the Youth Diversion Fund totaling $7,500, a bid was awarded for a mitigation EMA plan, and it was agreed to begin work on a county capital improvement, repair or replacement fund to plan for the future. The Board also named Interim Fire Chief Bob Tutko to replace City Commissioner Kevin Willis on the County's Ambulance Oversight Committee.

County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel reported that there have been 356 more early voters so far this year than four years ago, and County Sheriff Dave Mahon said the County passed its yearly jail inspection report "with flying colors".