County Board Moves Ahead w/Agreements for Public Transportation System

Effingham County Board members Tuesday approved two agreements related to establishment of a public transportation network in the county.

The Board okayed a resolution authorizing application for public transportation financial assistance for the system through the Federal transit act.  Members also approved a purchase of service agreement with Central Illinois Public Transit, the entity affiliated with CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation that will oversee the transportation network.

Board members approved a $1,000 allocation from pari mutual funds in each of the next three years for the Effingham County CEO Class.  The Board also approved several appointments including Julie Fenoglio for a two-year term on the Ambulance Oversight Committee, former county board member Bob Shields for a two-year term on the Health Board, Ed Hoopingarner, Todd Hull, Jane Reinheimer, Russ Thomas and Ken Larimore for two-year terms on the new Grant Research and Procurement Committee, and Rob Arnold and Michael Tate for two-year terms on the Mental Health 377 Board.

The Board voted to approve a courthouse property transfer from the City of Effingham.  The City now owns the land around the Courthouse from the middle of the street to 60 feet onto the lawn.  The situation means those who want to operate events on the Courthouse lawn have to get insurance liability waivers from both the City and the County.  The change approved Tuesday is that the City will retain rights to the land up to two feet inside the sidewalk around the Courthouse, but the remainder of the land will belong to the County.  The City is saving enough land to maintain the utilities they might have located there.

Board members released closed session minutes except from the meetings of August 10, 2009 and September 2, 2009.  The minutes released include all of those from 2011 and 2012.

The Board approved a bridge aid petition for work on a structure carrying 1500th Road just south of the Mason-Eberle Road, and also agreed to request IDOT consent to reappoint Greg Koester as county engineer.