County Board sets mileage rate reimbursement
<span>Mississippi River flooding was the featured topic of last week's meeting of the Randolph County Board.</span>
<span>The commissioners heard an update on the situation from Larry Willis, Randolph County Emergency Management Agency public information officer, and Board Chairman Dr. Marc Kiehna read the county's proclamation of a State of Emergency, which was signed on Dec. 28.</span>
<span>The proclamation expired Sunday, nearly a week after the Christmas Day weekend storm finally came to a close.</span>
<span>The river crested at 45.99 feet on Friday night, roughly 4 feet lower than first predicted at the storm's end.</span>
<span>"I would like to thank you for opening up your meeting room for EMA," Kiehna said to Randolph County Health Administrator Thomas Smith.</span>
<span>Smith said the building was remodeled to serve as a meeting place for such situations.</span>
<span>Other than the flooding, it was a short agenda for the board's final meeting of 2015. The commissioners decided to continue the county's mileage reimbursement rate of 50 cents per mile for the next year.</span>
<span>The federal rate is 54 cents.</span>
<span>"We can use any amount we want, we just can't go over that amount," said Commissioner David Holder, referring to the federal rate. "Without justifying the expense."</span>
<span>The commissioners also revised their quarterly meeting schedule. The new dates are Jan. 15 and 29, Feb. 12 and 26 and March 11 and 24.</span>
<span>All are at 9 a.m.</span>
Roundup
<span>General assistance claims for the period were $1,386.67</span>
<span>The Randolph County Care Center was reported to have 65 residents.</span>
<span>Care Center Administrator Ken Slavens reported there were some roof leaks with the recent storm and workers had to take the ceiling tiles down to collect the water.</span>
<span>Kiehna asked Slavens about his budget for the upcoming year.</span>
<span>"It looks like to be a slight uptick as far as doing better, but it's still a fight to get ahead," Slavens said.</span>
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