Jasper Board Asking for More Budget Cuts

More belt-tightening is being required of Jasper County officials.

County Board members Thursday heard that department heads have been directed to trim their budgets by 2% from last year's budget.  Board members who are committee chairs were asked to study their budgets, and to let the county clerk or the board chairman know if they would like to see any changes.  The budget will be voted on at the Board's November meeting.

A tighter budget doesn't stop the need for facility improvements, though.  Board members heard that the roofing job on the Courthouse in Newton is complete, with workers finding an inch of water under the foam layer that was replaced.  Air conditioning at the county jail has been replaced and flooring work there has been completed.  The Board also invested in an emergency response plan offered by Servpro of Effingham that stores information during emergencies, and agreed to replace the ambulance service radio base station and to purchase emergency exit signs.

The Board learned that 44 members have paid their memberships in Jasper Economic Development Incorporated, and board members voted to renew property/casualty and Workers Compensation insurance coverage for around $147,000.  Kemper CPA Group was rehired to conduct the fiscal year audit for $33,000.