County Board Discusses Energy Saving Proposal, Recognizes Retiring County Employees

Effingham County board members discussed a proposal Monday to save money on energy costs. The proposal is to place a solar system on the roof of the Effingham County Office Building once the building has been re-roofed later this year, and to replace the windows on the top two floors of the building.

Blaine Meadows of Centrica Business Solutions, the firm researching the cost savings possible for the County, said the company will move ahead with development of an agreement that should be ready within 60 to 90 days.

(CRYSTAL SCHUTZBACH AND COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN JOSH DOUTHIT)

The Board Monday approved an amended salary schedule to add the position of Assistant Public Defender. Public Defender Scott Schmidt said the salary will be $82,000. Board members also recognized three retiring County employees for their years of service. They include Crystal Schutzbach, retiring after 32 years with the County Health Department, Frances Arnold, retiring after 21 years with the Effingham County Sheriff's Department, and Jane Lustig, retiring after 15 years as a telecommunicator for the county. Lustig was not present for the meeting.

(FRANCES ARNOLD WITH JOSH DOUTHIT)

Andy Kistler of Community Support Systems reported on 377-funded work by their participants. Kistler said 22 individuals were able to work in about a dozen businesses and a number of local industries.

The Board approved resolutions concerning the salaries of the sheriff and the public defender, the appointment of Michael Bowman as a trustee of the Edgewood Bi-County Fire District, and the resignation of Ernest Garbe from the South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission. Also approved was the final plat of the Doug and Denise Walk Subdivision, the allocation of $3,133.50 in ARPA funding for plans for the Courthouse Gazebo, the allocation of $270 in ARPA funding to the Childcare Gap Scholarship for a poster campaign, and the appointments of Dr. Michael Willianson, Dr. Greg Campos and Amy Guy to three-year terms on the County Board of Health. Also, Board Member Dave Campbell reported that close to $15,000 in loan funds are available from the County to new or expanding businesses.

County Board members approved an easement allowing reconstruction work on Airport Road, approved a parts and labor contract for repairs to a sliding door at the County Courts Building, learned from Circuit Clerk Tammy Kreke of the receipt of $200,000 in grant funds for equipment upgrades in all four courtrooms at the courts building, heard from Sheriff Paul Kuhns of a lightning strike at the County Office Building over the weekend and that work is proceeding to restore much of the equipment affected by the strike, and heard from State's Attorney Aaron Jones that the Illinois Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on the SAFE-T Act at 9am Tuesday. Jones met with Kuhns and with City Poiice Chief Jason McFarland Monday to start making plans regardless of the outcome of the ruling as to how operations will proceed. 

Board Member Elizabeth Huston was not present for the meeting.