County places deficit budget on file; John Rednour Sr. retires from housing board

The Perry County Board placed on file for public inspection a 2014 budget showing a deficit of $171,782. The board also moved the next regular board meeting to 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 to allow the budget to remain on file for 15 days.

County Clerk Josh Gross said the budget includes building repairs and other items which may not be necessary over the next year. If that is the case, the county would be much closer to a balanced budget.

In other business, the board:

• declined to pay $110 per month for an ad which Clyde Dempsey has placed in a local paper asking veterans to contact him for information on their benefits. Dempsey said he has had 15 calls in two weeks asking for information. The various military branches are supposed to tell soldiers about benefits before discharging them, but don't always do so. Dempsey said he will approach veterans' organizations about paying for the ad. Until he finds another source of funding, he will continue to pay for the ad himself because it is necessary.

• passed a resolution accepting a bid from Southern Illinois Video Systems to install a surveillance system inside and outside the County Government Building at a cost of $4,159.

• passed a resolution allowing IMRF payments to be calculated based on gross pay. Both the county and the employee make larger contributions which results in a higher pay-out in retirement.

• appointed Commissioner Jim Epplin to represent the county in negotiating the Perry County Landfill host contract.

• passed a resolution approving the sale of 20 trustee-owned properties to the highest bidders. A total of 23 properties were sold this year. The board approved three initial sales a the previous meeting.

• accepted the resignation of John Rednour Sr. from the Perry County Housing Authority Board and appointed Joe Folden to serve the remainder of his term.