Discussion Ends With Multiple Bids To Be Sought

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Jersey County Board Doesn't Engage Bellwether for $17,500 Fee Study

Jersey County Board Doesn't Engage Bellwether for $17,500 Fee Study

JERSEYVILLE - Tuesday's County Board meeting started for this reporter when Board Chairman Don Little made it clear that he wanted to talk upon seeing him enter the room before the meeting began. Little was somewhat agitated, referred to "snarky comments" being made and stated that he had heard that a story was done that stated there was only one public comment session . Little then went back to the stage to begin a meeting that ultimately discarded the $17,551.12 proposal from Bellwether, LLC for a fee study that could have resulted in increased fees.

The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a prayer and roll call. Previous board minutes were approved by a voice vote. The bills claim committee report followed next which included a total amount of $ 97117.16 of which $3721.33 was board compensation. The report was approved by a roll call vote.

The Chairman then asked for public comment. There were several questions put to the board by the reporter at that time. The first question was why it appeared that the online meeting minutes were not current. The Clerk responded that it was simply an oversight and that normally they are posted when approved by the board.

The subsequent questions by this reporter were, what was the rationale behind hiring someone for a fee study, how did they get in contact with this person and was it put to a bid? Chairman Little then referenced the statute and said that it "references a cost study but doesn't tell how to go about it". When Little was told that conversations had taken place with the reporter and other counties, Little immediately wanted to know which counties. When told Mercer County was one, Little seemed surprised to learn that the person  (Bruce DeLashmit) soliciting the fee study contract from Jersey County was currently also acting in the capacity of the Mercer County Administrator for a fee of approximately $70,000 per year. Little was also told that the people in Mercer County were surprised at the fee that DeLashmit was attempting to charge for his services. Little initially tried to explain that there was considerably more to doing this study than how it was characterized but was told by the reporter that he had been able to review material from DeLashmit that outlines the information the county is to provide in order to generate the reports the county is paying for. Little was asked, "why, with all of people that know how to use a spreadsheet in the county, why would the county entertain paying someone that amount of money for those kinds of services?"

Little replied with, "You're getting reports, you're paying for professional services". When asked if this proposed study had went out to bid, Little replied that it had not. "Frankly we didn't have, cost studies are not readily accessible in the Yellow Pages. Now it's kind of a flippant answer I admit, but starting at one place and trying to figure out what's available out there."

New business was discussed with Lacey Miller of Tri-County Transit and was followed with adoption of certifications and assurances, as well as to adopting an ordinance for the authority.

Terry Woelfel of Two Rivers Crime Stoppers made a presentation to the board that explained their function and how they fund their rewards for anonymous tips. Woelfel said that the only two municipalities that have given them donations to date were the two of the smallest, Hamburg and Wrights. He went on to say that some courts are working with offenders to have them contribute to Crime Stoppers for possible sentence reduction and that it's been quite successful.

The roads and bridge report was heard with approval of an preliminary engineering agreement for bridge replacement on Lax Cemetery Road.

The tourism committee discussed two grants. One for the Tri-County Antique Club for $2800.00 and another for Got Faith in the amount of $2200.00. Both grants were subsequently voted on and approved.

The legislative committee proposed adoption of an ordinance regarding discrimination for the Tri-County Transit system and it was approved.

The board then discussed the fee study discussed during the previous comment session. After some discussion, the board voted unanimously to not accept the proposal from Bellwether LLC and to get additional bids before completing a fee study.

The board discussed and passed salaries and increases for elected officials for the next four years.  The salaries reflect 2% yearly increases. The discussion revealed that none of the board members knew the median income for Jersey County. (Per the 2010 Census, the median income per household is $53,470. Male income is $48,750, with female being $31,789.) The board passed the salaries and increases with a lone no vote cast by Rhonda Linders.

The Chairman's report reflected that arrangements had been made through the efforts of many to obtain approximately $27,000 in grant funds that needed to be returned to the State of Illinois through irregularities regarding a pass through grant that Jersey County was involved in with West Central.

Remarks were made regarding loss of land and revenue because of the proposed rail project and that there needed to be some discussion regarding this with all of the involved entities.

The meeting ended with comments that included a local contractor suggesting that some sort of licensing be done with regard to particular types of businesses. The contractor stated that people are being hired via Facebook that have no credentials and that is is routine for him to have to fix problems that unqualified contractors create. There was discussion of how to implement this type of licensing and who would enforce it.

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