The Wayne County Board met in regular session last (Thursday) night in the upstairs courtroom of the Wayne County Courthouse with the Board approving the April minutes to begin the meeting.
Wayne County Treasurer, Yvette Anderson read a statement prepared by Ron Woodrow, Wayne County Republican Central Committee Chairman, recommending that the Board appoint Cody Ehrhart to fill the vacancy in District Four, succeeding Ronnie Windland who moved to Arizona. The Republican Party met on May 1st and considered three candidates. After deliberation, Cody Ehrhart was selected to represent the Republican Party and complete Windland’s term. The Board unanimously approved Ehrhart’s appointment and he was sworn into office by Wayne County Clerk, LizAnn Woodrow and was seated to the Board.
Ryan Littlejohn & Katie Bell from Wayne County Extension addressed the Board. Bell, the Local Foods and Small Farms Ag Educator, discussed the revamped pollinator garden supported by the Wayne County Farm Bureau, which is used for teaching and research. She also mentioned bringing specialty crops research to Wayne County through a grant. Ryan Littlejohn, the 4-H Program Coordinator, highlighted that 4-H is the biggest program run by the extension in Wayne County, with 168 members and rising numbers. They have eight different 4-H clubs and over 20 volunteers. Littlejohn stated that over the last year, the 4-H program has served 1931 youth throughout Wayne County through various events, including Tech Fest, Conservation Days, the Wayne County Fair, classroom programs, summer programs, and workshops. Lily Simpson, a 10-year 4-H member and President of the federation, shared that 4-H has provided her with numerous opportunities, helping her grow socially and intellectually. She emphasized that she wouldn’t be where she is today without the program and encouraged others to join. Simpson mentioned internal changes within the federation group but expressed overall satisfaction with the program, particularly enjoying the workshops and the fair.
Bell says the Extension Office is adding a new Snap education educator to provide education for the supplemental nutrition assistance program. They are also renaming the Deer Donation Program to Hunters Feeding Illinois, which involves working with local processors to provide meat to local food pantries. This program aims to support lower-income families and encourage hunting.
Loy Hosselton, the Animal Control Administrator says Alex Pollock has been working with the shelter for a year and a half and has completed training with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Hosselton says he is wanting the Board to appoint an Animal Control Warden who will deal with dog-biting issues, picks up strays, and handles various other tasks related to animal control and recommended Pollock for the position. A motion was made and approved to officially appoint Alex Pollock as the Animal Control Warden.
Dennis Seidel from the Wayne County Highway Department addressed the Board discussing a resolution to appropriate funds from the County Bridge fund for the county’s portion of the construction for a bridge in Leech Township. Seidel indicated
The county typically pays either 10% or 2%, depending on how the project is funded. If funded through the Township Bridge program, the county may not have to pay anything. With federal funds, the county can pay 80% of construction and engineering costs and that the township bridge funds have quadrupled, allowing the county to build three to four bridges every summer instead of one. Seidel says the criteria used to prioritize bridge projects are traffic volume, whether the road is a bus route or mail route, and overall need. Dead-end roads with limited use are typically lower on the priority list. The Board approved the appropriation of funds for the bridge project.
Wayne County State’s Attorney, Kyle Elllis reported that everything in their office is running as intended. One of their secretaries, Joan Wallace, retired after three years of service. The State’s Attorney does not intend to replace Wallace and plans to transition to two full-time secretaries instead of having a part-time position.
Wayne County Sheriff, Chris Otey says his department has been busy with law enforcement activities, including transporting people to prison. They have also been working on clearing out the basement of one of the buildings and preparing the front of the sheriff’s office for rock placement.
Nicole Schoenborn, Administrator at the Wayne County Health Department announced its annual electronic waste drive, scheduled for May 17th from eight to noon. This event collects electronic waste from residents and does not include household appliances. The Health Department accepts electronic waste from residents at no charge and covers the freight costs for disposal. This service is offered once a year to prevent illegal dumping. The Health Department is terminating its lease for the early childhood service building as of June 30th and will be moving the staff into their main building to save money. They are also working to ensure the cancellation of any liability or renters’ insurance policies associated with the leased building.
The Property Committee reported that the new cabinetry in the sheriff’s office looks great, and the offices appear well-done. There was a suggestion to purchase chairs from a different vendor due to weight load concerns. The committee is also addressing gutter issues outside the building. The insurance contract negotiation is ongoing, with hopes of finalizing it by the next month. The existing contract dates back to 1997, and a new review is due.
Four heating and cooling units upstairs are being worked on, and the windows are expected to be installed within the next couple of weeks. The committee is also considering a team thought for the next phase of the project, allocating $24,000 from ARPA funds and $24,000 from building improvements. A motion was made to fund the next phase of the heat and cooling project with $48,000 from ARPA funds, which was approved.
The Board discussed supporting a small business, The Ice Cream Shop in Cisne, owned by Travis & Shannon Mix. The business owners are looking to buy their building and expand their catering services. They requested to borrow $11,000 to cover the cost of the building and paperwork. The business owners hope to increase their catering business, host more weddings and functions, and potentially expand their business. They currently have five full-time and five part-time employees and hope to add two more positions. The Board spoke to the character of the owners and recommended approving the loan, noting that they are hometown folks who contribute positively to the community. A motion was made and approved to support the loan for The Ice Cream Shop.
The Board approved the solar resolution which was discussed at the last board meeting.
Sandy Beeson, a tax assessor for the county raised concerns about the scheduling and posting of board review hearings. She emphasized that these hearings are public and should be posted legally, with continuous 48-hour notice visible to taxpayers. The current practice of posting inside the courthouse, which is closed at times, does not meet this requirement.
The Board did go into executive session to discuss an Animal Control Contract with the Wayne County Humane Society which is in negotiations.
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