The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

County Board Confirms Connable Road Improvement

The Hancock County Board confirmed the south section of the Connable Road east of Hamilton will be improved at its April 22, 2014 meeting.

The county board approved an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation for micro-surfacing 4.6 miles of the Connable Road form U.S. 136 to the Ferris Road. The cost will be $175,000. Eighty percent of the money will be federal money, twenty percent will be State of Illinois money.

The Hancock County Board acted upon a dozen other county highway items:

• Award Motor Fuel Tax bid on bituminous materials in the amount of $426,480 to W.L. Miller co. of Hamilton.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bids on aggregate surface course to Central Stone of Carthage and Tennessee, Cessford Construction of Dallas City, gray quarries of Hamilton, and R.L. O'Neal of Plymouth.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bids on seal coat aggregate to R.L. O'Neal and Sons and Gray Quarries.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bids on FA 20 sand to R.L. O'Neal and Sons and Gray Quarries.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax Bid on patching mix to W.L. Miller Co.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bid for township roads on bituminous materials and spreading in the amount of $688,200 to W.L. Miller Co. of Hamilton.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bid for FOB distributor truck in the amount of $198,090 to W.L. Miller Co.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bids for township roads on aggregate surface course to Central Stone of Carthage and Tennessee, Cessford Construction of Dallas City, and R.L. O'Neal of Plymouth.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bids for township roads on seal coat aggregate to R.L. O'Neal and sons, Central Stone, and Gray Quarries.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bid for Lignen LS-50 tree sap for township roads to Environmental Road Solutions of Wataga, Illinois.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bid for townships roads on bituminous stabilized base course and FOB distributor trucks at the plant to W.L. Miller Co.
• Award Motor Fuel Tax bid for township roads on bituminous patching mix to W.L. Miller Co.
• Approve the purchase of a Bush Hog 2815-3 mower.
• In other business, the county board:
• Heard Wendy McDonald, consultant with Klinger and Associates, Inc. say the Dallas Rural Water District is seeking a grant in the amount of $371,000. The water district will match the amount with approximately $123,000 if it is awarded. A general purpose government is required to administer the grant. Hancock County will administer the grant and set a hearing on the proposal for 6:00 p.m. on May 20, 2014 in the County Board Room, Courthouse, 500 Main Street, Carthage, Illinois 62321.
• Approved "An Ordinance to Provide for Public Transportation".
• Approved a contract for the licensed real estate tax computer software with Devnet, Inc. the provider since 2008. Annual 3% cost of living increases are included in the contract.
• Assessor Dale Bolton pointed out many computers require upgrading from Windows XP because Microsoft, Inc. is no longer supporting the Windows XP operating system. The board expressed agreement with the assessor, treasurer, county clerk and recorder to purchase the upgraded work stations from Devnet, Inc. so one vendor has "endzone to endzone" responsibility for warranty. This avoids finger pointing between the software provider and hardware provider if a problem arises.
• Paul Richardson, EMS Coordinator, said laptop computers are needed because Microsoft, Inc. is no longer supporting the Windows XP operating system. The county board approved the purchase of 7 laptop computers for the ambulance service in the amount of $3,360.
• Jeanne Schell, also a member of the Board of Health, said the Hancock County Health Department's finances are improving. The department lost approximately $100,000 in the first quarter of 2013. The loss was cut to approximately $1,400 in the first quarter of 2014. Ms. Schell noted new computers are needed because Microsoft, Inc. is no longer supporting the Windows XP operating system.
• The county board confirmed Chairman Gray's reappointments:
• -George Salrin, Richard Thompson, and William Hutson as Dallas Rural Fire Protection District Trustees.
• -Bill Shanks, Nauvoo Fire Protection District Trustee
• -Tom Hasten, La Harpe Fire Protection District Trustee
• -Ronald Maag, Warsaw Rural Fire Protection District Trustee.