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County Board discusses public aid funerals

Posted April 10, 2015 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler The Herald Tribune

CHESTER -- In its regular session on Friday, the Randolph County Board of Commissioners discussed Gov. Bruce Rauner's recent decision to freeze $26 million in social services and public health grants, including money for funeral and burial services for public-assistance recipients.

The issue was brought to the commissioners by Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker.

"They've frozen it for the rest of the fiscal year and word around the campfire is that they're not going to fund it for the next fiscal year," Walker said.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, DHS pays for funeral and burial expenses "when a person's resources and all sources of payment are less than the DHS standard payment rates."

The maximum amount DHS pays is $1,103 for a funeral and $552 for a cremation/burial.

"The county needs to be aware that this service may fall upon the county," Walker said.

The $6.9 million funeral and burial grants were just part of the $21.8 million in DHS grants frozen by Rauner, according to the Chicago Tribune. In total, $205.1 million in DHS, Department of Public Health and Illinois Department of Natural Resources grants have been suspended by the first-term governor.

"Funeral directors got a small amount of money from the state to provide these burials," Walker said. "I've seen situations where the body would not be properly disposed of if they're not paid."

No action was taken by the commissioners on the issue and Chairman Marc Kiehna said more information was needed.

"I think it's time for us to do our own research," he said.

Cindy Wagner, coordinator for Randolph County E-911, made a presentation on April being National 9-1-1 Education Month.

In 2008, the United States Congress designated April to be National 9-1-1 Education Month, with April 12-19 being National Telecommunicator Week.

"Over the next few weeks, we would like to put out some informational items to the public," Wagner said.

Wagner elaborated on "answering points," which is locations where 9-1-1 calls are answered. Those points are currently the Sparta Police Department and the Randolph County Sheriff's Office.

Each answering point is equipped with two answering stations. Calls within the City of Sparta route to the Sparta Police Department first, while all other county calls route to the sheriff's office first.

Wagner said if a 9-1-1 call is not answered at the first answering point, callers will experience an extended ring time while their call is being transferred to the next answer point.

"We've had concerns with citizens feeling like their calls were not getting answered," Wagner said. "And in fact, they are getting transferred."

In 2014, telecommunicators in Randolph County received 9,057 911 calls, with 6,299 coming from cellular phones. All medical calls are transferred to MedStar Ambulance for pre-arrival instructions.

In other board news, a delinquent tax resolution was approved regarding a mobile home lot in Kool Valley Trailer Park in Sparta. The sale of tax certificates was in the amount of $695.

General assistance for the period was $2,365.56. The Randolph County Care Center reported 62 residents.

Roundup

Randolph County Engineer Mike Riebeling said the resurfacing project on Shawneetown Trail is still hoping to start this month. E.T. Simonds of Carbondale is the contractor on the project, which will resurface 3.5 miles of Shawneetown Trail from Route 3 to Palestine Road.

"We're hoping for this month," Riebeling said. "The rain has set (E.T. Simonds) back a bit on other projects.

"We're hoping for as soon as possible."

Randolph County Health Department Administrator Thomas Smith said ticks are out in force.

"It's a time of year when we have more arthropod diseases from ticks," he said.

The next meeting of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners is April 24 at 9 a.m. at the Randolph County Courthouse.

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