Final Count Being Completed from Effingham County Election; Board Hears from Niemann Regarding COVID

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Published on November 16 2020 6:22 pm
Last Updated on November 16 2020 6:26 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel believes the counting from this month's election should be completed this week.

Hirtzel said that 78.25% of those registered in the county to vote cast a ballot. He said that's the biggest turnout in the county in his more than 20 years as County Clerk. His staff is currently counting the vote-by-mail and provisional ballots to wrap up the vote count.

Also Monday, County Board Chairman Jim Niemann asked for county residents to take precautions against spreading the COVID-19 virus. Niemann said, "People are refusing to co-operate and that's incredibly frustrating." He noted there were empty chairs, including three missing Board members, and said those missing "have family members who are sick." Retiring board member Jeff Simpson joined the meeting by phone, and members Dave Campbell and Lloyd Foster did not participate.

The Board approved appointing Leonard Waldhoff to the Effingham County Housing Authority; supported the revised South Central Indstrial TIF District with member John Perry voting No; approved a new floor plan usage for the fourth floor of the County Office Building; passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale, purchase or use of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and vaping products by persons under 21 years old in the county; amended the current year county budget; approved a change in the salary of the county probation chief managing officer; approved the salary for the coming fiscal year for non-union employees; approved the sale of a K-9 vehicle to Cumberland County; approved reimbursement of Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance premium credit refund to county employees of the portion paid by the employees; and approved gift cards for county employees in lieu of a Christmas party.

The Board also approved aerial flights for use in GIS work as well as work for the City.

Monday's meeting was recessed to Wednesday, November 25 when the budget and tax levy for the new fiscal year will be finalized.