The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
-Joy Swearingen, QUILL Correspondent
Sale of the Hancock County EMS office building and ambulance barn was approved by the Hancock County Board during their meeting April 18.
After negotiations, Ryan Jacquot and a board committee agreed on a purchase price of $355,000, which was the appraised value. Hancock County EMS will continue to lease the buildings for a maximum of two years at $25,000 per year to be paid in monthly installments.
The county will pay utilities and do grounds keeping while they lease the property. One of the rooms will have a lock added to provide confidentiality for patient records. The sale provides a temporary infusion of funds until proceeds from the recently approved ambulance tax rate increase become available next year.
County treasurer Kris Pilkington was given authority to make a temporary transfer money to the EMS fund from the General Fund if necessary until the sale of the building is completed.
The board approved two agreements that should improve EMS operations. An intergovernmental agreement between Hancock County EMS and Lee County (Iowa) EMS will provide additional coverage for each agency through mutual aid responses if the need arises.
A narcotics agreement with Memorial Hospital will simplify restocking any medications used when a Hancock County ambulance brings a patient to Memorial Hospital. Currently the EMS can only restock medications at Blessing Hospital. The approved agreement allows EMS to restock at the Carthage hospital at 10 percent above the hospital’s cost.
The board agreed to buy a used Durango SUV at $42,007 for Sheriff’s Department, since another sheriff’s vehicle was hit by a deer. The vehicle is available at a dealership. Money for the car will be taken from the General Fund, which will be reimbursed when two insurance checks are received for totaled sheriff department vehicles.
A motion was approved to allow County Clerk Holly Wilde-Tillman to look for newer election machines. She has learned that many of the county voting machines will be out of service by Jan. 1, 2025.The following actions were approved for supplies for road and bridge work in the county:
The board gave approval of Agreement of Understanding with the Illinois Department of Transportation to streamline the approval process of Motor Fuel tax documents.
They approved transferring $180,000 from the County Bridge Fund to the County Highway Fund. The money is to be transferred back after tax receipts are deposited.
The schedule of fees was increased for services by the Hancock County Recorder and for the Hancock County Clerk.
Matthew Thor, the new county public defender, was introduced to the board.
The following appointments were approved: