Macon Reporter

DeWitt County Board met April 24.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Meeting was called to order at 6:00pm by Chairman Witte.

Roll call was answered by Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Deerwester was absent.

Bob Kreiter was present to speak to the Board regarding the fee increase for Civil Service Processing. He handed out a sheet comparing other Counties by showing the fee they charge for the service and said he doesn’t understand why DeWitt County needs to raise the fee to be one of the higher counties. He doesn’t believe the taxpayers and the people seeking the Courts’ help should be used for revenue and asked the Board to vote down the increase.

Melissa Breeden was present to speak to the Board. She just wanted to introduce herself to the Board and said she is with Birth to 5 of Illinois, an organization helping with early childhood education.

Clerk Harris verified with the Board that they had received the IDOT correspondence she had emailed out. All Board members did receive it. Co Engineer, Mark Mathon, spoke on the IDOT correspondence and informed the Board that one of the forms needing turned in is the close out construction forms from part of the Revere Road project and now that he has the correct forms, he is in the process of completing those to turn in. He also said the other 2 projects mentioned were from 2 past projects done in 2010 and 2011 and he is currently looking through past files to get IDOT the information that is needed.

Motion by Tilley second by Ryan to approve the March 20, 2025, County Board meeting minutes. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Ferguson to re-appoint Steve Schaefer to the Clinton Sanitary District for a 3- year term to expire on the first Monday of May 2028. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Werts to appoint Kelly Burton, Clinton, Illinois, to the DeWitt County Community Mental Health Board to fill an unexpired term wit term set to expire 10/31/2026. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Tilley to re-appoint Rebecca Perry as trustee to the Kenney Fire Protection District with a term ending April 30, 2028. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Ferguson to appoint Jeffrey Wrage as trustee to the Wapella Community Fire Protection District for a 3-year term to expire on the first Monday of May 2028. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Prestegaard to re-appoint John Perring as trustee to the Waynesville Community Fire Protection District for a 3-year term to expire on the first Monday of May 2028. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Ferguson to re-appoint Robert F. Kuntz as trustee of the Clinton Community Fire Protection District for a 3-year term to expire on the first Monday of May 2028. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Witte second by Werts to re-appoint Robert D. Walters as trustee of the Weldon Community Fire Protection District for a 3-year term to expire on the first Monday of May 2028. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Carter gave the Board a brief description of what was discussed at the current month’s Land Use meeting. He said they discussed the comprehensive plan that needs redone every 10 years and said the current one is still good until 2028. He also informed the Board that the zoning administrator has not heard back from ENEL after a couple of attempts to reach them. Minutes from the Land Use meeting are filed with these minutes.

Myers gave the Board a brief description of what was discussed at the current month’s Public Safety meeting. Minutes from the Public Safety meeting are filed with these minutes.

Motion by Myers second by Werts to adopt an Ordinance on Sheriff Fees increasing the following fees:

Serving Fee from $60 to $85

Certified Mail Process Service from $45 to $60

Fingerprinting from $20 to $25

Eviction Stand By from $25 to $65

Carter told the Board they hired a work study program, and the costs came back higher than what the Board is voting on and requests the Board approve the ordinance. Sheriff Walker told the Board that the last cost study and increase was completed in either 2012 or 2013 and the Servicing Fee was raised from $20 to $60 at that time. He also explained that a cost study was done and during that study they looked at the increase in several things such as insurance and gas prices to come up with the new fees. He does not view this as an increase in being a moneymaker but to help recoup some of the money back for the services provided by his deputies. He also asked the Board to approve the ordinance. Myers also told the Board a cost study has been completed for the Animal Shelter and the Administrator is currently looking over and reviewing it. She said a lot of things are taken into consideration when looking at fee increases. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Ferguson gave the Board a brief description of what was discussed at the current month’s Property meeting. He informed the Board that he has talked to Sam Devore and he’s starting the landscaping project this coming weekend and plans to do most of the work on the weekends, so he is not interfering with any County business. Minutes from the Property meeting are filed with these minutes.

Motion by Ferguson second by Tilley to accept the estimate from Trimble Plumbing to replace sewer line in the County building at a cost of $8,550.00. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Prestegaard gave the Board a brief description of what was discussed at the current month’s Road and Bridge meeting. Minutes from the Road and Bridge meeting are filed with these minutes.

Motion by Prestegaard second by Myers to approve the Joint Funding Agreement and Resolution for the Guardrail Upgrades project. Prestegaard explained this project is to update approximately 20 guardrails around the County and involves Federal funding. The County will not exceed $300,000 from the MFT fund and the grant is not to exceed $1,000,000. Co. Engineer Mathon said should there be any overage expected, a new resolution to cover any overage would be brought to the Board for approval. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Tilley gave the Board a brief description of what was discussed at the current month’s Finance meeting. Minutes from the Finance meeting are filed with these minutes.

Motion by Tilley second by Ferguson to pay all bills. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Tilley second by Werts to offer 3 health insurance plans through BC/BS to county employees beginning July 1, 2025, with the county’s portion staying at $740 per month per employee. Tilley explained there is a 6% increase. If employees choose to keep their current plan they will see approximately a $30 increase per pay. There is also a new cheaper 3rd plan being offered that will save the employee about $3 per pay. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Motion by Tilley second by Ferguson to approve Resolution for the Adoption of the 11th Supplement to the DeWitt County Code of Ordinances. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Ryan gave the Board a brief description of what was discussed at the Compliance and IT meeting. Minutes from the Compliance and IT meeting are filed with these minutes.

Motion by Witte second by Tilley to approve Resolution Approving Agreement Between The Public Safety Training Foundation And The County of DeWitt, Illinois, For Use Of The Public Safety Training Foundation Facilities. Aye: Myers, Prestegaard, Ryan, Tilley, Walters, Werts, Witte, Carter, Ferguson, Hammer. Motion Carried.

Witte told the Board that Silvia Comfort requested the motion on the agenda to proclaim May as Older Americans Month be removed. She was not able to get a proclamation created in time but is hoping to bring it back next year.

Witte told the Board he did not want to bring forward the agenda item to repeal the current DeWitt County Commercial Wind Energy Conversion Ordinance- Chapter 153 and replace it with the new/revised ordinance until all proposed amendments are looked at and considered. He told the Board if anyone has a proposed amendment, they need to have them to him by Sunday May 11, and he’s thinking maybe the motion can be brought back to the Board in May.

Sheriff Walker wanted to give the Board an update on a few things. First, he said the new Dispatch/911 Coordinator started on March 31, and we are blessed to have found her. She has made some good changes in dispatch and is looking for more improvements. He also stated that on April 3, a job fair was held to help fill the empty positions in dispatch and corrections. He said 12 to 13 showed interest, about ½ for dispatch and the other ½ for corrections. They have received applications, and a few are moving forward through the hiring process and he’s hoping to get the departments fully staffed. He also said he

is down 1 deputy who left to go to the City of Clinton’s Police Department and that he has hired a current correctional office to take the deputy position, and he will be starting training/schooling on May 4. Walker also said they had a missing person’s call last week and were able to use the drones for the first time and it was successful. The man was found walking the streets in Heyworth but wanted the Board to know that the drones are well worth the money spent.

Ferguson told the Board he thinks it’s time to step up the process with getting information from ENEL and thinks it’s time to tell them officially that they are in violation of their special use permit. He said they are choosing to ignore the County’s request for information by not contacting the County back. He is not sure of the next step but said the County needs to step it up and get something done. Markwell said with it being an ordinance violation, the County Zoning Administrator should try contacting them first and if she receives no response, she should send everything to him so he can file ordinance violations.

Motion by Tilley second by Ryan to adjourn at 6:42pm with all in favor.

https://www.dewittcountyil.gov/government/agendas_minutes.php