Effingham County Board approves consent agenda, transit contracts and capital reallocations

The Effingham County Board approved a multi-item consent agenda and a series of funding and contract measures at its July meeting, including salary updates, transit contracts, a $49,869.26 capital payout to the City of Effingham for a parking-lot share, and a reallocation of surplus capital funds to cover most of a shortfall on the jail roof project.

The consent agenda — which included approval of minutes; officers’ monthly reports; certification of election judges; sheriff and public-defender salaries ($182,006.54.38 and $205,004.86.17 respectively); a $7,500 hotel-motel fund disbursement to the Effingham County Fair; and professional-service and bid awards — was approved on a motion from Jeremy Daters and a second from Doug McCain. The clerk called a roll and members voted in favor; the chair announced the motion carried.

On personnel items, the board approved an update to the salary schedule that sets a client-advocate position at $52,500 and raises the victim-witness coordinator hourly rate effective July 1, 2026. The employee handbook amendment (covering special-detail overtime pay and related clarifications) was also adopted.

The board approved two agreements between Central Illinois Public Transit (CIPT) and Community Support Systems (CSS) for the Weatherall and Terrace routes while leaving a third (the Signal route) for later negotiation. Committee discussion included objections to the size of the price increase. Committee member Norbert Saltwiedel said he was "unhappy with the fact that we're raising the rates by 25%" and urged further review of CIPT overhead. Beth, representing staff, responded that part of the rise reflected a two-year adjustment and carryover of previously uncounted costs: "The increase is partially because this is a two-year increase — some last-year expenses were tallied late and carried into this year's contract calculation," she said.

The board also approved a capital payout of $49,869.26 to the City of Effingham to cover the county’s portion of a parking-lot project at the county building and authorized up to $3,000 from capital-improvement funds to buy a secure drop box for property-tax payments and early/by-mail election ballots. County staff (Deb) described the drop box as camera-monitored, lockable, and checked daily; the county will pay the up-front cost from the general fund and seek reimbursement later from a grant.

On capital planning, staff detailed a shortfall for the jail roof project (project cost about $221,450 against partial earlier funding) and the board voted to move surplus funds from underrun projects (including the parking lot and other adjusted line items) into the jail-roof line so work can begin. Staff said the contractor start is anticipated in September and the work will take roughly three weeks.

All motions described above carried after roll-call or voice votes; members moved through the agenda without recorded dissent on the final tallies. The board concluded routine committee reports, including notice of an expected $99,000 grant arrival in August and a planned airport runway ribbon-cutting on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m.

The meeting adjourned after public comment and no closed session was requested.