It wasn’t an agenda item for the Hamilton County board members, but it was a hot topic of conversation.
Before adjourning the meeting, Hamilton County Board Chair Kelly Woodrow raised concerns about the school meal funding, noting that Hamilton County doesn’t qualify for free meals like the surrounding counties do, such as White County. Board member Adam Little commented that it is because the county isn’t poor. With a board member asking,
“How much excess is that school board sitting on right now? Well, they are getting ready to build a school. I didn’t ask you what they’re getting ready for, I asked you how much excess.”
There was also discussion about the discontinued Meals on Wheels program for the senior citizens of the county, which previously served 25 meals for $3,700 monthly that the state helped cover. Woodrow reiterated that the board needs to contemplate these situations in the county.
The courthouse bathroom renovations have been on the board’s monthly agendas for the past few months, and they are ready to accept sealed bids for the project. The projected cost discussed was $28,000, but expenses will exceed this amount. The board will hold a special meeting on August 28th at 4:30 to open the sealed bids that they received.
A payment for a 2023 health insurance claim from the City of McLeansboro/Fire Department was approved in the amount of $1,060. The claim had been improperly processed during transitions between insurance administrators. Also approved during the meeting was the sponsorship donation for the McLeansboro Fall Festival coming up. John Perryman, Sponsorship Committee Chairman of the McLeansboro Kiwanis Club, attended the board meeting and thanked the board for its continued support over the years. The board agreed to a $1,000 sponsorship from the contingency fund.
Moving on to the administrative report from Bellwether, the county is currently facing a deficit. This is a matter that the board is handling with utmost care and consideration. Three options were presented: making cuts, using the coal fund, or raising taxes. The board is taking the time to thoroughly evaluate these options before any action is taken, ensuring that the county’s financial situation is being managed responsibly.
Lastly, the board granted County Clerk Heather Bowman authorization to pay monthly recurring expenses. The board was not aware of how that was overlooked, but it was quickly fixed.
The next Hamilton County board meeting will be on September 16th at 6 pm.