County Board locks electrical rates for 3 years
The Saline County Board accepted the county treasurers' report, renewed the contract for electrical power and made appointments to the Saline Housing Authority and Industrial Park boards during Thursday night's meeting.
The board opened the meeting with County Treasurer Danny Ragan speaking on the state of county finances. Ragan told the board that though the county was $54,000 in debt the county was in good condition financially.
"We are just about where we were last year, but a little bit better off," Ragan said.
Beginning the 2014-2015 fiscal year with a balance of $6,042,030, the county has spent to date $1,506,390 with expenditures for February being $530,619. Thus the county has used 24.93 percent of this fiscal year's budget. The board voted to accept the budget report with little discussion.
The board voted to renew the contract for electricity through Ameren, thus locking in the price of electricity at $.06.036 per kilowatt hour. The new contract will run until August of 2018. Regardless of market fluctuations in price, the county price would remain the same.
After discussion, which included Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Joe Jackson's statement that he felt "This is a pretty good chance to renew the contract" the board voted in unanimously on favor of renewing the contract.
The board heard from Alene Carr of Southern Illinois Regional Planning and Development as to the need to vote on an amendment to expand the Enterprise Zone. Carr explained that several businesses wished to locate in Harrisburg and the regulations governing the Enterprise Zone required all bodies involved to approve this expansion. Judicial and Law Committee Chairman Bruce Tolley pointed out that this expansion would result in 12 new jobs opening in the county. The board voted in favor in another unanimous vote.
In two unanimous votes, the board approved the re-appointment of Bart Schiff to a five year term on the Saline County Housing Authority Board and Georgia Cowger to be re-appointed to a two-year term on the Industrial Park Board.
The board heard from County Clerk Kim Buchanan that absentee voting for April would open on Monday, March 2. Saline County Emergency Management Coordinator Allan Ninness told the board that a free Storm Spotter class would be offered by the National Weather Service at Southeastern Illinois College 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 4. Ninness encouraged interested citizens to participate.