County focuses on roadway cleanup

Published 9:57 am Friday, February 18, 2011

The warm weather may be welcome but it also shows up roadways that are less than inviting.

“This is the time of year we get a lot of calls about litter because the snows have melted, anytime you drive up the road,” Commissioner Jason Stephens told the audience at the commission’s Thursday meeting.

In recent years there are more individuals and ad hoc volunteer groups that are out cleaning up the highways, the commissioner noted.

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“But we want to tell people we are out cleaning up the areas,” he said. “And the solid waste district is always willing to take a call.”

A request by County Treasurer Stephen Burcham for an additional $16,000 to cover newspaper charges to advertise delinquent property tax charges died for lack of a second to the motion to approve made by Commission President Les Boggs.

“Is that all we are going to need or will we need $15,000 more (later on),” Stephens asked.

It was up to Stephens to second the motion since Commissioner Paul Herrell was absent.

Now paying those charges will wait until the first half taxes are collected.

“It can be billed to the appropriate taxing district and the cost shared,” Burcham said after the meeting.

In the past although the county only receives approximately 9 percent of the revenue from property tax collections, it had to pay the entire advertising cost. Now with software installed in the auditor’s office in January, those costs will be taken out of the revenue disbursement going to schools, townships and villages.

“It will come on the first half settlement, as soon as the books are balanced and the auditor and treasurer reconcile,” Burcham said. “The auditor would disburse the appropriate funds to the taxing districts (minus the cost.)”

A request for $177, 596 for its budget from the Law Library Legal Resource Board was modified because the library was not certified to have that much funding.

The library is only certified to have a budget of $118, 867. The two commissioners approved $31,350 to cover immediate payroll, retirement and Medicare obligations.

In other action the commissioners:

• Approved hiring six additional part-time paramedics and EMTs at an hourly pay rate of $10 and $9 an hour.

• Approved a blanket travel request for all EMS employees leaving the county for Tri-State area hospitals. This is required for the employees to be covered by Workman’s Compensation.

• Received the weekly dog warden’s report where 37 dogs were destroyed, four were sold and four were redeemed by their owners. Currently there are 90 dogs in custody.