Commissioners hear presentation on laundry program
<span>CHESTER -- As part of Friday's meeting of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, Randolph County Care Center Administrator Ken Slavens gave a report of his organization's laundry services.</span>
<span>The report had previously been requested by Board Chairman Marc Kiehna.</span>
<span>The Randolph County Care Center's laundry program does laundry for Sparta Community Hospital, Chester Memorial Hospital and the Care Center itself.</span>
<span>The Care Center's facility contains three commercial washers and three commercial dryers that handle an average of 15,000 pounds of laundry per month. For the hospitals, the program washes linens, scrubs and gowns.</span>
<span>"We encourage the staff to shake things out," said Slavens, who added staff members have found hearing aids, glasses and teeth. "We've found some odd things over the years."</span>
<span>Sparta Community Hospital picks up and delivers laundry seven days a week, averaging 8,000 pounds per month. Chester picks up and delivers three days per week and averages 10,000 pounds per month.</span>
<span>The Care Center's own laundry averages 15,000 pounds per month and consists of resident clothing, linens, bed pads, mops and blankets.</span>
<span>Total weight each month is around 16.5 tons.</span>
<span>"We're thinking about raising cost per pound due to the increase in chemical costs," Slavens said.</span>
<span>The Care Center is currently performing its laundry service at a cost of 35 cents per pound, which averages $75,000 per year. The service is supervised by 25-year veteran Shirley Geralds, who leads a staff of five in two shifts seven days per week.</span>
<span>"They do a good job," Slavens said. "The equipment is new and in good shape."</span>
<span>Slavens also reported to the board the Care Center has 64 residents and the state is three months behind on its payments to the facility.</span>
Health Department
<span>Randolph County Health Department Administrator Thomas Smith reported to the commissioners on recent FDA training and work with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).</span>
<span>According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website, HSEEP "provides a set of guiding principles for exercise programs, as well as a common approach to exercise program management, design and development, conduct, evaluation and improvement planning."</span>
Public Comment
<span>Randolph County Clerk Pat Laramore said after March 1, her office will not be entering documents into public record after 3 p.m.</span>
<span>"I just want the public to understand there will be changes in my office due to the limitations of staffing," she said.</span>
<span>Randolph County Circuit Clerk Sherry Johnson expressed concern about leaves and other debris around the front of the courthouse with the national media coming to Chester to cover the Drew Peterson preliminary hearing.</span>
<span>"I would like to put our best foot forward," she said.</span>
Roundup
<span>The commissioners approved a map amendment to 1270 Cole Place Road in Chester. Roger Cowan requested a change from Agriculture A to Residential I for an 11-acre tract.</span>
<span>Cowan is intending to split off a five-acre parcel that includes a home to be sold while keeping the remaining six acres.</span>
<span>The commissioners approved a tax sale in regard to the property at 225 Water St. in Prairie du Rocher.</span>
<span>The delinquent tax penalties were in the amount of $1,121.51, with the county getting $489.89 in return for certificates of purchase.</span>
<span>A HVAC presentation by Honeywell that was originally on the agenda was rescheduled.</span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-bd3ab03e-ce42-2976-97cc-1e8c9b91eb80"><span>General assistance for the period was $1,897.95. The next meeting of the Board of Commissioners is scheduled for March 13 at 9 a.m.</span></span>