State's Attorney Directed to Explore Advisory Committee for Unit Road District
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Following a lengthy executive session, the County Board agreed not to recognize the change of two part-time mowers to full-time positions, as the move was made without prior board approval.
County Engineer Doug Bishop hired his son as an assistant Unit Road District Foreman after advertising the position. He also hired Shannon Hirsch and Donnie Decker as full-time employees at the Highway Department and Unit Road District.
Hirsch and Decker, who had been part-time employees, will officially be considered laid off as of the end of the day on Friday.
The contract with the Laborer's Union prohibits hiring part-time employees when full-time employees are laid-off. As a result, a part-time employee will also lose his position.
State's Attorney David Stanton was asked to initiate a dialog with the business agent from the Laborer's Union to see if Hirsch and Decker can be moved back to part-time since the board is not recognizing the change of employment status and the third part-time employee also retained.
The board asked County Engineer Doug Bishop to make a statement about the recent hirings. Bishop said that while he does not believe he did anything either morally or legally wrong, his son Steven Bishop will be laid off from his position as Assistant County Engineer as of the end of the day Friday, as well.
Hirsch is the son of former Republican County Clerk Don Hirsch, who is married to Board Chairman Bobby Kelly's mother. Decker is a former employee of Tree-O Lumber, owned by the Kelly family.
Kelly said that he made a poor decision and should have discussed the hirings with the board. He apologized to Commissioners Jim Epplin and Sam Robb, the other elected officials in the county and to the voters.
"There were no politics played here that I know of," Kelly said.
Rick Krone, Vernon Mayer and Pete Doerr all said the hirings weren't kosher and that the size of the ad run for the assistant engineer position was too small.
The third and final action from the board in response to public outcry about the change in employment status for Hirsch and Decker and the hiring of the younger Bishop was to direct Stanton to investigate the formation of an advisory committee to control the Unit Road District.
The statute allows the Unit Road District to be run either by the Unit Road District Commissioner or by a committee appointed by the board. Up to this point, County Engineer Doug Bishop has served as the Unit Road District Commissioner.
Stanton was asked to study the statute, work with Bishop on delegating authority to the committee and to report back to the board at the next meeting.
Following discussions at the last several meetings, the board appointed Commissioner Jim Epplin, Economic Development Coordinator/Zoning Administrator Jeff Ashauer, Treasurer Bill Taylor, Sheriff Keith Kellerman and State's Attorney David Stanton to an ad hoc committee to recommend a county-wide personnel policy, including hiring practices.
There is currently little in the way of a county-wide policy. The municipality has been relying upon rules set forth by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and various labor contracts.
In other business, the board:
heard from Treasurer Bill Taylor that the February 2011 payment was received from Perry Ridge Landfill. The first quarter payment and report were due April 15. The second quarter payment and report were due July 15. Though payments are trickling in well past the due date, no reports have been sent. He has attempted to get copies of the quarterly reports, but has not been able to do so. "They (Perry Ridge) flat said they won't send it (quarterly report) because they don't want us to know how much they owe us," Taylor said. Solid Waste Coordinator Becky Tracy said she picks up daily reports each time she visits the landfill so the county can have some idea what is owed to them in tipping fees.
passed an ordinance revising the boundaries of Du Quoin voting precincts 1, 4, 7, 9 and 11. One block of voters is moving from precinct 9 to precinct 5 and voters are being moved from precincts 1 and 7 to precinct 11 and a few from precinct 7 to precinct 1. Changing the boundaries protects voter privacy, equitably divides the number of voters and will save money because fewer ballot styles will be necessary. The change was brought about by the changes in the State Representative Districts as part of the redistricting. County Clerk Kevin Kern said he will mail new voter registration cards to all voters.
formed an ad hoc committee to recommend a bidding process for property casualty, general liability and workman's compensation insurance. The three members of the committee will be Economic Development Coordinator/Zoning Administrator Jeff Ashauer, Treasurer Bill Taylor and Commissioner Sam Robb. The committee will work with an agent of record to prepare a bid package.
heard from Tracy that the county will hold electronic recycling collection Sept. 10 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. There will also be free dumping at the Perry Ridge Landfill on Sept. 9 and 10. Residents may dispose of materials normally accepted by the landfill on those days.
approved a revolving loan for $50,000 to P&P Builders, the retail branch of Contempri Homes. The funds will be used to place a display home on Route 159 St. Clair County. The homes are built in Pinckneyville. The loan will be paid back at three percent interest over five years. The Southern Illinois Coal Belt Champion Communities group is also loaning $50,000 to the project.
approved a memorandum of understanding with South Central Transit for emergency services. EMA Coordinator David Searby said it is standard contract that says SCT will help evacuate or relocate residents in case of a disaster.
approved the appointment of Emergency Management Agency volunteer Bill Place from Tamaroa.