County Board Seeks Proposals on Window Replacement

Effingham County board members Monday voted to move ahead with replacement of 96 windows in the County Office Building downtown.

The vote was to seek requests for proposals to replace all of the windows on the second through fourth floors. The proposals will be reviewed by the Building and Grounds Committee for a recommendation to the full Board at their May meeting.

Board members voted to disburse $7,500 in hotel/motel tax revenue for the 43rd annual Millroad Thresherman's Show on August 8-11, with Board member Elizabeth Huston abstaining from the vote. The Board also established the salary for the County Coroner for the coming term that begins in December. The salary is now $51,000. The decision was to increase the salary by $2,500 each year of the four-year term.

The Board witnessed Sheriff Paul Kuhns' presentation of a Sheriff's Office Distinguished Act Award to local resident Travis Macklin. The sheriff said that a woman drove into water flooded across a roadway on April 2. In a remarkable turn of events, Macklin who lives nearby the scene woke up and saw the light of the woman's cell phone after she had gotten onto the roof of her vehicle. Mackln went to the scene and into the water and got the woman to safety. The woman cannot swim. The incident occurred along North 300th Avenue by the Little Wabash River.

(SHERIFF PAUL KUHNS AND TRAVIS MACKLIN)

The Board recognized Darin Deters of the Effingham County Sheriff's Office and Barb Funneman of the Effingham County Public Defender's Office on their retirements; Deters for 22 years' service and Funneman for 37 years' service. Deters was present for the meeting, but Funneman did not attend.

(DARIN DETERS AND COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN JOSH DOUTHIT)

Board members heard from CSS Executive Director Andy Kistler about the work of his agency and their use of County 377 funds to train their workforce for employment at a number of county businesses.

The Board also converted the assistant airport manager position to a fulltime job, declared Law Day in May; approved the Lucas Township and Road District Decennial reports and the Bishop/Lucas Multi-Township Decennial Committee reports; approved Kyle Willenburg as an Altamont Fire Protection District Trustee with Elizabeth Huston of Altamont abstaining from the vote; extended the weekly Farmer's Market schedule through October 26; and approved Tom Freeman to the Ethics Commission.

Board members approved recommendations from the Capital Improvement Advisory Committee including copier replacement, increased security cameras on county buildings, and possible upgrades to the animal control facility and the possible development of a county morgue.

The Board accepted replacement chairs secured for the County board room without cost to the county; approved up to $5,500 from ARPA funds for electrical work in the county courtrooms after a request from the Resident Circuit Judge and the Circuit's Clerk's office; heard that $30,000 in grant funds have been secured for services for seniors; heard that a revolving loan application is being processed; and learned that a rapid response vehicle has gone online. Board member Sandra Gillet said the vehicle can't transport patients but can provide all other medical services handled by Rural Med EMS. 

Board member Norbert Soltwedel was not present for Monday's meeting.