The Jersey County Board continued its discussion of the 2010 budget with county board chairman Pam Heitzig pointing out a few of the items that could need further contemplation.
Heitzig said the budget will be put up for a vote at the next meeting, November 10 and the board has until that time to make any changes.
She did point out that the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) has had a approximately 38 percent increase added to it, which she called a “big increase”. When asked if the state has reimbursed the county for things such as attorney’s fees, etc. she said “no”.
To that end, and citing a financial shortfall, she said the finance committee has made two recommendations to deal with the decreased revenue and increased expenses.
The board approved a hiring freeze on all county positions and to explore options to cut health care costs. It was unanimously approved by the full board.
The subject of recycling also came up in discussion with the board approving eliminating two Jersey County drop off site.
Closed will be the 109 site at the corner of Route 3 and 109 and also the one in Fieldon.
Heitzig said that the Fieldon site volume is low but that the 109 site will be closed because people are abusing the site and throwing things in that are not recyclable (tires, deer carcases, etc.)
“It is not our recyclers who are doing this,” she added, but thinks it is people who do not live in the county and just use that site as a garbage dump.
A citizen’s committee will be formed to look at the recycling situation, letters will go out to businesses and schools informing them of the changes. Recycling drop off points remain at Delhi, Grafton and Jerseyville. News releases will be made available when information of changes becomes ready.
