The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Rural Addressing Discussed by County Board

By Sally Day for the Quill

Jon Hodel of Cloud Point Geographics of Roanoke, Illinois, was on hand at the Henderson County Board meeting, January 13, 2015, to discuss rural addressing. He mapped out the order in which his company would begin the process.

The first thing they would do is to contact the post offices in the county. Next they would travel the roads of the county and find the locations of the addresses. They would then assign a new number or address based on the GPS location. Postal customers would then receive an old address and a new address and have a certain amount of time to begin utilizing the new address.

Hodel told the board that he had been working with Stark County on rural addressing. He explained the importance of the addressing. It would be very instrumental to emergency personnel, the post offices, and to GPS companies for local directions.

New addresses would be placed on signs which were visible from the road. There would be certain guidelines as to where the signs would be placed.

Board member Bob Peterson asked Hodel if these things had already been implemented in Stark County and whose responsibility it would be to obtain the signs. Hodel thought it would be up to the residents to pay for the signs.

Board Chairman Albert Renken asked if there was a building or a bin site, with no residence, would that location need an address. Hodel thought all locations that fit that criteria should be addressed because an emergency situation could happen there.

Chief Deputy Donnie Seitz was asked by board member Marty Lafary if Deputy Seitz thought this would be beneficial. Chief Deputy Seitz responded, "Absolutely."

Seitz also suggested that the county put up the signage for this project and that everyone participate in it. The board agreed that the entire county would need to do this.

Henderson County Engineer Tom Hickman told the board that all the signs would have to be placed in conjunction with J.U.L.I.E.

The cost for rural addressing was said to be approximately $30,000.

Hodel suggested a possible public meeting to answer any questions the public may have about the rural addressing.

The board agreed to table the matter and read the contracts intended for Stark County and bring it back to the board next month.

In a discussion concerning the First Responders Class, Chief Deputy Seitz told the board that the class had begun on Monday of this week with thirteen class members.

The instructor had only wanted ten people to enroll in the class, but had agreed to thirteen. The total costs of the books is $1100 and the instructor's fee is $2000. At this time, the class is 40 hours

At this time, board member Richard Clifton asked Chief Deputy Seitz if the eight stun guns the Sheriff's Department owns is enough. Chief Deputy Seitz said the department rotates them, attempting to make certain they have enough. He said, "You would be surprised how often we have to use them." board member Clifton suggested they begin rotating replacing these a couple a year.

Chief Deputy Seitz thanked the board for allowing a First Responders Course.

In other business, the board:

• agreed to offer RMS, ATC, JESCO, with whom the county is in litigation, an offer of $100,000. The board agreed to give the press more information about this soon.
• awarded the authority to sign documents relating to the 2008 flood to board member Marty Lafary.
• discussed the fact that there are locations in the courthouse which stay too warm. They will look into this and possibly use ceiling fans. Chief Deputy Seitz mentioned that the Sheriff's Department is having some issues with computers are that they need a system which is not directly connected to the courthouse.
• learned from Lynne Haase of the County Health Department that the Health Department would be offering free prostate blood testing.
• heard from Cindy Rhinehart, Director of the Emergency Service and Disaster, that Workforce Investment was helping her organization to find grants to assist them.
• accepted the inventories of the county offices.
• approved the Annual Report of the County Treasurer.
• passed a motion to accept the annual MFT Resolution presented by the HWY Dept.
• learned that board member Marty Lafary had agreed to dispose of computers, etc. in the basement of the court house, following the heads of these offices figure out which items they want to keep.
• approved claims paid in Dec. 2014, minutes of the Dec. 1, 2014 meeting.
• answered roll call in the following manner: Curt Eisenmayer, absent; Marty Lafary, present; James Alexander, present; Richard "Tex" Stewart, absent; Terry Myers, present; Robert "Bob" Peterson, present; Richard Clifton, present; Brad Flatt, present; Gary Gibb, present; Bill Knupp, present; and Board Chairman Albert Renken, present.