Everybody who asked for money is getting money. The White County Board convened Tuesday night for a special meeting and chose to dole out more than half a million dollars from an Energy Transition grant established and awarded through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. The grant was designed to help support communities impacted by plant or mine retirements, in White County’s case Pattiki. White County was awarded $1,207,426 thanks in large part through assistance from Representative Dave Severin.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the board agreed to give the following amounts to entities who requested monies:
Southeastern Illinois College – $250,000
Carmi White County Unit 5 – $65,000
NCOE School District – $35,000
The Village of Mill Shoals – $50,000
The Village of Burnt Prairie – $25,000
The Village of Enfield – $20,000
White County Fairgrounds – $40,000
White County Summer Sack Lunch Program – $20,000
Phillips Township Road Commissioner – $15,000
Sheriff Jordan Weiss made a request for $40,000 plus an additional $205,000 for other projects. The board will potentially help the Sheriff’s Department with the remaining $680,000. That money is going to potentially help the county figure out what to do with the courthouse. A structural engineer was brought in for an inspection and to provide an estimate on costs to make structural repairs. That estimate came in at between $420,000 and $480,000. Instead, a committee will be formed with the hopes of working toward a long-term plan for the historic structure built in 1883. That committee will be made up of Chairperson Cassie Pigg, Board member David South, White County States Attorney Denton Aud, and Judge T. Scott Webb.
Also at the meeting, County Engineer Brian Ray requested a resolution authorizing Motor Fuel Tax Funds to make improvements on County Road 2400 North from 800 to 1075 East. Ray says the project cost is expected to be around $650,000. $420,000 in MTF will be utilized and the remainder, he says, will come from Ameren. That resolution passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:38pm. The next meeting is coming up on Tuesday, May 16th at 7pm.
