September Board Packet and County News

Friends:

I have posted the Agenda and Board Packet for September 30 meeting over on the "Board Packets" tab of the site.  I am pleased to report the Agenda includes the proposed changes to the County Board Rules our Ad Hoc Rules Committee approved earlier this month.

I also am using this post for two other purposes: an update on the budget process, and a nice article in the Pekin Daily Times regarding the Arcade Building, which has been the reason for numerous debates by our Property Committee and full Board on its preservation.  The article can be found here.

You will also recall the Fiscal Year 2016 budget is nearing completion.  The following documents were recently made available to us by our County Auditor, Vicki Grashoff:

1.  2016 Tentative Budget Document;

 

2.  Recommended Amendments for Tentative Budget (included in #1); and

 

3.  Budget to Budget 2015-2016 percentage comparisons.

Mid-September Update

There are several new developments from Tazewell County which led me to the conclusion that I should post a mid-month update.

First, I wanted to thank our County's Chief Assessment Officer, Gary Twist, for circulating a memorandum regarding recent changes in Illinois law which he reports will increase "the benefits of exemptions for disabled Veterans on their homestead property."  If you want more information on this, please see the memo in its entirety (here).

Also, the heads of all of the Tazewell County offices have been diligently working to report to the Finance Committee of the County Board on their proposed budgets for fiscal year 2016.  If needed, the next meeting of the Finance Committee will be September 21, 2015, in the Carius Community (Board Meeting) Room at 3:30pm.  The proposed budget is still available on my blog post from August 27.  

While we do not have our board packets for our September Board Meeting available at press time, I wanted to provide you with some preliminary information on two items that will be at issue during our County Board meeting of September 30, 2015.

1) During its September 23 meeting, the Executive Committee will review the latest, proposed revisions to our County Board Rules.  Assuming they pass out of Committee, the new Rules will be one of my main items of interest on the agenda.  My thanks again to the Ad hoc Rules and Recodification Committee for their efforts.  Local newspapers have recently reported on our committee's main focus - changing the order of the Board agenda to allow for general public comment before we vote on items and allowing a reasonable opportunity to obtain permission to speak during a meeting on a particular item on the agenda.  The Journal Star recently offered an editorial on the Committee's efforts, and I also encourage our Board members to vote in favor of these (and the other) changes put forth.  All of the proposed changes will be available in our Board packets.

2) The Accounts Payable for September are available on the "Board Packets" tab.  

August Board Meeting and the Start of Budget Season

Last night, the Tazewell County Board held its August regular meeting.  Chairman Zimmerman called the meeting to order and we held a moment of silence for Deputy Craig Whisenand and also took a moment of reflection in prayer for our County and the recent passing of community leader and former Washington Mayor Don Gronewold.

Among its first items of action, the Board appointed Greg Menold to fill the vacancy from District 2.  I have known Greg for years as the Morton Township Highway Commissioner, and I look forward to serving with him on the Board.  

The Board also, among other things approved:

1) a low bid for repairs to the Monge Building basement;

2) a low bid for tar and chip road surface treatment in Mackinaw Township; and

3) approve the immediate repair of the Pekin Landfill.

As to item 3, over this very rainy spring/early summer, several spots of erosion were found, with an estimated repair cost of $35,000.  I thank Finance Committee Chairman Neuhauser for taking the time to answer my question about future/repeated costs, when he advised that this will be a short-term investment to protect our initial capping efforts, while long-term plans will be for a line-item on landfill maintenance should we have similar rainy seasons.

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The start of September means the County Board is working with Department heads on the Fiscal Year 2016 budget (12/1/15 to 11/30/16).  Last night, Board members received Budget materials, and I wanted to provide you with the following:

1) A cover letter from Auditor Grashoff explaining the latest documents;

2) A summary of all funds (with comparisons to FY 2014 and 2015); and

3) A full analysis for all proposed revenues/expenditures for FY 2016. 

I will start reviewing these documents in earnest, as our Finance Committee begins its first set of "Budget Committee" hearings/meetings on September 8.  I welcome your thoughts/comments on this Budget during this process.