The White County Board met Tuesday night for their February meeting.
The Board unanimously voted to reject the offer from Deaconess Illinois to acquire the White County Ambulance Service. They decided to have the negotiating committee come up with an alternative proposal to Deaconess. The committee will notify the Board when they come up with a counter offer and either hold a special meeting to discuss it or bring it up at next month’s regular Board meeting.
In the Ambulance report for January, they had a profit of $19,877 with a profit for the year of about $10,000.
A four year contract was approved between the County and Fraternal Order of Police. The contract includes a seven percent pay raise over a four year period.
Jade Money of Clear Wave Communications discussed a proposal to switch to them for the County’s phone service. Money said they could save about $2,000 in unlimited long distance costs by going from copper to a fiber network. The Board decided to table the matter until next month’s board meeting for review.
They accepted the only bid from Wabash Valley Service Company for fuel for the Highway Department, Sheriff’s Department, Ambulance Service and Animal Control.
A donation of $2,500 collected by Pets At Risk for the animal shelter was accepted. Most of the money will go to care of the animals with some used for insulation. They also accepted an offer from the City of Carmi for the County to provide the materials to insulate their half of the animal shelter at a cost of about $1,200 and then the City would do their work and pay their labor costs.
$100,000 will be transferred from replacement tax funds to county motor fuel unobligated funds for the purchase of rock for the County Highway Department. The rock will be used on the stretches of road that need it the most.
A contract was accepted from Dees, Inc. Of West Frankfort of $138,265 for work on the Indian Creek Township Bridge at county road 300 north, northwest of Norris City. Eight percent of the cost will be from the state and 20 percent from the township.
A federal aid agreement totaling eight percent was approved for a section of bridge at Indian Creek, four miles southeast of Norris City.
And a preliminary construction engineering agreement was approved on building a guard rail beginning 1,700 feet west of the Centerville Bridge and ending 1,700 feet east, or four miles north of Carmi. The County pays ten percent with the rest coming from a $540,000 grant from the Highway Safety Improvement Fund.
The Board agreed to partner with the City of Carmi on their electronic recycling program at a cost of $3,000 a year.
A certification letter in which White County continues to recognize Illinois South Tourism as their state-certified tourism bureau was approved.
Charles Land was appointed to the White County Housing Authority Board to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Judy Daubs.
The Board voted again this year to contribute $4,500 to the Carmi-White County Senior Citizen Center and $900 each for the Norris City, Enfield and Grayville centers.
The next County Board meeting will be Tuesday, March 13th at 7 p.m. at the Courthouse.
