The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Joy Swearingen, Quill Correspondent
Dale Bolton received a plaque from the Hancock County Board honoring his 18 years of service to the county as Supervisor of Assessments. Bolton started in the position in 2001 and resigned in September of 2015. He returned to the post in 2018 to fill a vacancy and again resigned this spring.
Casey Livingston of Carthage is now Hancock County Supervisor of Assessments.
The county board had plaques for two other retiring officials, who were not present at the regular board meeting June 21.
Kerry Asbridge was honored after serving 30 years as Hancock County Clerk, and John Neally was honored after 38 years as Hancock County Circuit Clerk.
The board approved giving $25,000 from economic development funds to help finish the sewer project to the Hamilton Industrial Park on Rt. 136 just east of Hamilton. Hamilton is extending sewer service to the park and is $50,000 short for completion.
The Finance, Fees and Salaries committee recommended giving half the amount, $25,000. The plan is to reimburse the county’s economic development budget with ARPA (America Rescue Plan Act) funds when they are received.
ARPA funds come from the federal government dollars, distributed by the state, for needs related to a reduction in revenue caused by Covid. Water, sewer and broadband projects qualify for these funds.
Hamilton Mayor Dave Bierbaum and public works director, Aaron Metternich, were present at the meeting.
Bierbaum noted that there are currently four businesses in the industrial park -- Dadant, Cores for You, Precision Foundry & Tool, and Titan Foundry Services. These companies hire 125 employees. Having the sewer in place will allow more businesses to come or these businesses to expand, he said.
“This is not a Hamilton project, it is a county project. People all over the county are working there,” Bierbaum said. The finance committee report noted only around 20 percent of those working in the current industrial park businesses come from Hamilton.
The board tabled the question of adding more liquor licenses for areas covered by the county, and granting a request for a license in Niota by Maxamillian, Inc. of Quincy. While the county board chairman has wide discretion on who receives liquor licenses, the county is currently at their set limit of five. The board must act first to increase the number of licenses allowed.
The board approved paying $12,500 to Adams County EMS for a financial study/ organizational assessment on ways to improve the Hancock County Ambulance system. The option for this study was built into the original contract in March for Adams County to oversee the Hancock County system.
“We are going to look at all the different options of what works in different models. What is doable and legal in the state of Illinois,” said John Simon, Adams County EMS director.
Tom Rodgers, a member of the Health and Miscellaneous committee, stated that the option of having an assessment for improvements was why he approved the original contract.
“I’d like this guy to see if he can come up with enough information for us to make a decision. What we can do, how we can go about doing it,” Rodgers said.
In answer to a question of whether the Hancock County EMS is viable, Simon said:
“What I have noticed in the past two months I’ve been here, you can’t just look at the numbers on the papers, you look at a lot of elements and how that relates to the people, the patients and the processes.”
The board approved three amendments to agreements relating to the Hancock County Transportation System. It was repeated that the service is available for rides in Hancock County Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides for non-emergency medical treatment within two hours of Hancock County are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Delbert Kreps gives a plaque of appreciation from the board to retiring Supervisor of Assessments, Dale Bolton.
Kasey Livingston, the new Supervisor of Assessments