PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNTY BOARD

KNOX COUNTY , ILLINOIS

March 28, 2007

STATE OF ILLINOIS )

                                     )           SS

COUNTY OF KNOX )

            Proceedings of the regular meeting of the Knox County Board held at the Knox County Courthouse, Galesburg , Illinois on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at 6:15 p.m.

            The meeting was called to order by Chairman Allen Pickrel and upon roll call the following members reported present:

District 1          Caroline Porter            

District 2          Greg Bacon

District 4          Lowell Mannhardt                   

District 5          Gerald “Jerry” Link                              

District 1          Allen Pickrel                            

District 2          Paul Stewart                            

District 3          Dale Parsons               

District 4          George Knapp            

District 5          Ricardo “Rick” Sandoval         

District 1          Lyle Johnson                           

District 2          William “Bill” Abel                               

District 3          Janet Occhi                             

District 4          Wayne Saline              

District 5          Stephen “Steve” Johnson         

And those absent:         District 3          Paul Hevland                           

            Also present were Sheriff James Thompson and County Clerk Scott Erickson.

            Sheriff James Thompson delivered the proclamation. Chairman Pickrel led the Members in the pledge to the flag. Since no one was present to deliver the invocation, Chairman Pickrel asked for a moment of silence.

            Chairman Pickrel asked for additions to the agenda. Chairman of the Sheriff, Jail, Courthouse, Mary Davis Home, and Animal Control Committee, Steve Johnson, asked for an addition to the agenda at 17A, for an update regarding an equipment purchase for the Mary Davis Home. Chairman Pickrel asked that agenda item 6, approval of the proclamation of support for the National Railroad Hall of Fame Project, and agenda item 7, approval of a decision from pending litigation, be removed from this agenda. Member Saline asked that agenda item 9, to remove from the table/approve a National Railroad Hall of Fame pledge, also be removed from this agenda.

            Before Chairman Pickrel asked for public comments, he stated that it was the unanimous decision of the Board that public comments concerning the State’s Attorney’s Office would not be heard. Due to the nature of this pending litigation and the grievances which have been filed, it would be inappropriate to hear public comments about this subject, at this time.

            Rita Wiegand questioned why the proclamation in support of the National Railroad Hall of Fame and the pledge for the National Railroad Hall of Fame were removed from this agenda. Chairman Pickrel responded that the Board was asked to remove these items from this agenda.

            Chairman Pickrel presented for approval the following items of the consent agenda: 1) minutes of the Special and Closed Board Meeting on February 7, 2007, Closed Board and Regular Board Meeting held February 28, 2007, Special and Closed Board Meeting held March 9, 2007, and Special Board Meeting held March 19, 2007, 2) claims by Members for per diem and mileage for the Meeting of March 28, 2007, and 3) sales tax and various taxes for the month of December 2006 in the amounts of $107,573.80 and $23,010.56 and public safety tax in the amount of $94,268.69. Motion was made by Member Parsons and seconded by Member Occhi to approve these measures. Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            A CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) update was given by executive director Judy Guenseth. She presented a calendar of future events which draw awareness to Child Abuse Awareness Month observed in April. Again this year, they will be observing “Hands Across the Courthouse”, April 4th at 12:00 p.m. Concerned citizens are invited to participate. She asked for Members’ support regarding the approval of the resolution in support of Child Abuse Awareness Month. A similar resolution was approved last year.

            Motion was made by Member Steve Johnson and seconded by Member Parsons to approve the resolution in support of Child Abuse Awareness Month. Member Steve Johnson read aloud this resolution which is included in the Member packets. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Motion was made by Member Occhi and seconded by Member Steve Johnson to approve the proclamation in support of the National Boys & Girls Club Week from March 25 to March 31, 2007 . Chairman Pickrel read aloud this proclamation. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            The Finance, Insurance, Treasurer, Judicial, and Clerk Committee report was presented by Committee chairman Wayne Saline. Member Saline reported that the current fund balance compared to this point in time last year is low. Revenue is much below what it was last year. Although the revenue from federal prisoners has been below that which was anticipated, it is expected to increase. The Sheriff had included his report in the packets. Member Saline suggested that due to budget constraints, when possible future expenses should be delayed. The financial report is also included in the packets. We need to turn the revenue side around.

            Motion was made by Member Abel and seconded by Member Stewart to approve recommended summary sheet revisions. Treasurer Robin Davis stated that this request originally came from Member Stewart. This change to the summary sheets would include the budgeted amount for each line item, and the amount remaining. This would be a good idea especially when reviewing the bills. Member Stewart thanked the Treasurer for her diligent work to facilitate this request. He would prefer a standardized form. Member Bacon agreed that a standardized form would be easier to read and less confusing than dealing with different forms prepared by various department heads. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Motion was made by Member Saline and seconded by Member Occhi to approve revisions to the paid in vacation approval policy. Member Saline stated that with the full Board only meeting once each month, there are more bills that need to be paid in vacation than were originally anticipated. Treasurer Robin Davis expressed her concern that currently no Board Member is reviewing these bills. She asked that this policy be revised. A Board Member should be approving these bills before they are paid. Member Saline stated that when paying all bills, which have not previously been approved by the Board, the appropriate committee chairman or vice-chairman should review and approve these bills to be paid in vacation, before they are actually paid. All bills should be reviewed before they are paid. Member Steve Johnson commented that it never hurts to have one more person review the bills. It is important that a Board Member review these bills. They should be presented to the appropriate committee chairman or vice-chairman to review and sign off on them. Member Saline commented that a separate summary sheet will be included in the packets to list the bills which have been paid in vacation. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Motion was made by Member Saline and seconded by Member Steve Johnson to approve the upgrade to the County postage machine in the amount of $115.00 per month for the next 36 months. Treasurer Robin Davis reminded Members that as of May 14, 2007 postage rates will be increasing. There will also be changes in the way postage is calculated for packages and large envelopes. Pitney Bowes offers a module for the Courthouse mail machine that would implement the proper postage on every piece of mail. Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Member Saline presented for discussion the implementation of budget control procedures. He reminded Members of the informal opinion from the State Attorney General’s Office which is included in the packets. He encouraged all Members to read and study this opinion regarding line item expenses exceeding the established budgeted amounts. Chairman Pickrel stated that it is his understanding that Members who approve such expenditures could be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. Member Abel stressed that department heads should keep these budget limits in mind when submitting their bills. Department heads should not authorize expenditures which exceed the line item’s budgeted limit. Member Occhi reported that some line items are already exceeding their budgeted amounts. Therefore, she will vote “no” when approving these bills. Member Stewart stated that the revisions to the summary sheets should help track the overages. He appreciates the opportunity to review the opinion from the Attorney General’s Office and hopes that action will be taken at the next meeting. Member Abel reminded Members of the seriousness of this situation and the possibility of penalties when approving these bills.

            Motion was made by Member Saline and seconded by Member Porter to suspend the rules for the purpose of approving payment from the contingency line item for a replacement computer in the Assessor’s Office. Member Saline stated that since the budget is actually being amended, this action would be necessary. Member Link reported that this is an emergency situation as Chris Gray’s computer had locked up. Roll call vote to suspend the rules is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Motion was made by Member Saline to transfer $1,100 from the contingency line item in the budget to purchase a replacement computer for the Assessor’s Office. Treasurer Robin Davis reported that there is $25,000 remaining in that line item. In order to purchase this computer, the equipment replacement line for the Assessor’s Office is short $1,100. Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Motion was made by Member Steve Johnson and seconded by Member Stewart to approve Workman's Compensation Claim # CU271-04-00067-01 in the settlement amount of $20,941.73 for Patricia King. Specific information is included in the packets. Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

The Sheriff, Jail, Courthouse, Animal Control, Mary Davis Home, Courthouse and Annex Committee report was presented by Committee chairman Steve Johnson. The minutes of this committee meeting are included in the packets.

            Motion was made by Member Steve Johnson and seconded by Member Sandoval to approve participation in the Illinois Liquor Control Commission Tobacco Program. This program includes a grant in the amount of $2,750.00 to impact the illegal sale of tobacco to minors within the County. Sheriff Thompson reported that it was the unanimous decision of the committee to forward this grant to the full Board for approval. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

            Member Steve Johnson presented an update on the installation of the touch screens at the Mary Davis Home. These improvements will be funded through the Mary Davis Home improvement bond funds. This expenditure will need to be paid in vacation. The first installment is due in the amount of approximately $3,000. This amount represents 1/3 of the total amount. Installers are ready for the final upgrade to the touch screens April 9th. Member Bacon and Chairman Pickrel thanked Member Steve Johnson for this update. Since this item is under the $5,000 limit and had previously been approved, it really didn’t require the attention of the full Board. Nevertheless, they appreciate the update. Likewise, Chairman Pickrel expressed his thanks for the action on the computer for the Assessor’s Office.

The Highway, Assessor, Zoning, GIS, and Recorder Committee report was presented by Committee chairman Jerry Link. Copies of the committee minutes had been distributed to the Members. He highlighted the main topics discussed in the committee meeting. One of the biggest items was the resignation of Chris Wood, GIS coordinator, effective April 6th. The committee will be looking for someone to fill that position.

Regarding the highway report, the bridge over the Spoon River on County Highway 20 was recently inspected and found to have bad “I” beams. They hope to have repairs completed before fall. Member Link congratulated Mr. Ratermann as recently he had been appointed to National Association of Highway Engineers.

Member Link presented an update on the tax bill progress. An updated report was distributed to the Members. Board of Review Hearings are scheduled for April 4th and 5th. There are 27 hearings scheduled and some of those are commercial complaints that will require appraisals if they proceed to the state level. If all goes well, the assessors’ books will be turned over to the County Clerk ’s Office on the afternoon of April 5, 2007 . Other changes will be made until the County Treasurer cuts off the changes, then discrepancies can be solved with certificates of error. After the Board of Review Hearings are completed, the Assessor’s Office will begin working on the splits and consolidations recorded in 2006.

Motion was made by Member Link and seconded by Member Bacon to approve the low bid submitted by Midwest Crane & Bridge, Good Hope, Illinois , in the amount of $305,739.65, for a culvert replacement on County Highway 18, Section 02-00157-000-BR. Mr. Ratermann explained that this is a new company whose owners have a number of years of collective experience. Previously these individuals had performed satisfactory service for the County. There were six bids submitted. The budget includes a $350,000.00 appropriation from the County Bridge Fund for this culvert replacement project. Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

Motion was made by Member Link and seconded by Member Stewart to approve the Zoning Board of Appeals recommendation for Case #ZA-01-07. This involves a case filed by Anne Brown Byram, represented by Wells Fargo Bank, for re-zoning from “M-2” heavy industrial to “R” rural residential for a home site of .923 acres, located at 506 S. East Street, Abingdon , Illinois . This involves a residential house which was built in 1968. The Zoning Department is not sure why this property was zoned as “M-2”, and not rural residential. This error was recently discovered and needs to be cleared up. Information is included in the packets. The Zoning Board of Appeals recommends approval of this request. Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Bacon, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Stewart, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, Lyle Johnson, Abel, Occhi, Saline, and Steve Johnson—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

The Landfill Committee report was presented by Committee chairman Lowell Mannhardt. The committee minutes are included in the packets.

Motion was made by Member Mannhardt and seconded by Member Porter to approve the intergovernmental agreement between the City of Galesburg and the Knox County Landfill Department to grind wood waste for the City of Galesburg , The original bid for the Landfill to perform this service was $12,900. However, due to the recent ice storms, the amount of wood waste has been increased in the amount of $4,500 or a total charge of $17,400. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried.

The Nursing Home Committee report was presented by Committee chairman Lowell Mannhardt. The committee minutes are included in the packets.

Member Mannhardt presented for discussion the Accunurse Program for the nursing home. During the committee meeting, a lengthy presentation was given providing much information about this program. An informational packet was distributed to each Board Member promoting this program. Members are encouraged to review this information and give it serious attention at the next meeting. Questions should be directed to Marianne Wiesen.

Member Mannhardt introduced for discussion the proposed de-certification of wing 1, the Ocean View Neighborhood, at the nursing home. Ms. Wiesen stated that currently the nursing home pays a bed tax of $5 per bed per day. De-certification of this wing would save approximately $27,000 per year. This wing has not been used for the last two years. If the census were to increase, 10% of the beds in that wing could be certified each year. Sprinklers have been installed in this wing, and it has been upgraded. The current census of the nursing home is 127 residents with a capacity of 157 residents. Chairman Pickrel advised Members to be prepared to vote on this proposed de-certification at the next business meeting.

Member Mannhardt announced that the next meeting of the Landfill Committee would be April 12, 6:00 p.m. at the Health Department. The Nursing Home Committee portion will follow.

Motion was made by Member Parsons and seconded by Member Lyle Johnson to approve the claims against Knox County , Illinois , for the period of February 28, 2007-March 28, 2007 (ordering that invoices be accepted and approved and that the County Clerk and County Treasurer be authorized and directed to issue County Warrants in payment of the bills.) Roll call vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—Porter, Mannhardt, Link, Pickrel, Parsons, Knapp, Sandoval, and Lyle Johnson—(8). Noes—Stewart, Abel, Occhi, and Saline—(4). Pass—Bacon and Steve Johnson—(2). Motion carried. 

STATEMENTS OF GENERAL CONCERN

            Member Porter, Member Bacon, Member Mannhardt, and Member Link had no comments at this time.

            Chairman Pickrel announced that a Special Board Meeting is needed and will be held April 4, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss personnel and property matters in closed session. No action on these items is anticipated. There are some things that need to be cleaned up during this meeting.

            Member Stewart expressed his appreciation of the approval of the revisions to the summary sheets.

            Member Parsons and Member Knapp had no comments at this time.

            Member Sandoval asked Greg Chance to comment in reference to some polluted dump sites in Abingdon.

Mr. Chance reported that the primary site is located in Abingdon at the corner of South Sanitary and East South Streets. The IEPA is investigating this site for high levels of lead contamination. The Health Department has sent officials through the local neighborhoods to advise of potential lead exposure in the soil. The Health Department will be offering free lead screening tests to Abingdon residents. A public meeting will be held April 11th at the Abingdon High School Gymnasium. The next step is that that IEPA will contact the Federal EPA and ask them to perform additional testing. Another request will be made to the Federal EPA to do a remediation at that site. Since high levels of lead were discovered at this site, the IEPA has promised to investigate other dump sites in or near Abingdon that were used by Briggs Manufacturing to dispose of their waste. Another industrial site will also be included to do an environmental investigation. The Health Department will be taking the lead role in dealing with the health issues. The IEPA will be dealing with the environmental aspects. The biggest concern is for children who have been exposed to high levels of lead. If there is a large demand for such a service, the Health Department would be willing to come to Abingdon to make special screening clinics available for working families. It is hoped that the federal government will proceed with this clean up project. In all likelihood, they will ask Briggs Manufacturing to fund the clean up expense.

Member Lyle Johnson commented that he would be out of town for the next meeting.

Member Abel had no comments at this time.

Member Occhi commented that when referring to the farmland, over by Knoxville , Members should not refer to it as “Nursing Home Farm.” Since the County Board had declared it as excess property, it is no longer the “Nursing Home Farm.”

Member Saline had no comments at this time.

Member Steve Johnson commented that he was extremely disappointed with the GIS activity log, submitted by the GIS coordinator. This report was included in the packets.

            The next regular meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 , 6:00 p.m. at the Knox County Courthouse, Galesburg , Illinois .

            Motion was made by Member Sandoval and seconded by Member Parsons to adjourn. Voice vote is recorded as follows: Ayes—(14). Noes—(0). Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.