County Board allocates $30,000 for ROE 40
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By Steven Spencer
The Jersey County Board approved a motion to allocate $30,000 to the Regional Office of Education 40, at the regular county board meeting on Tuesday, June 10.
Kara Ontis, Finance Committee Chairman, said the county currently provides office space but the funding had been cut from the county’s budget last year.
“We met again to discuss it, and the Finance Committee is in favor of allocating $30,000 to the ROE for this fiscal year with the contingency that they will be providing us with a budget each year,” Ontis said. “Similar to how the (U of I) extension office provides us with their budget when we provide them with funds.”
During a brief discussion, it was asked how the dollar amount was determined and how much the other counties budget for ROE 40 as it serves Calhoun, Greene and Macoupin counties in addition to Jersey.
Ontis said they don’t have the other counties’ budgets and information yet, and said the $30,000 was based on the previous allocation of $40,000.
“In the discussion, it was agreed that we would give $30,000 and consider $10,000 of that rent,” Ontis said noting that the $40,000 amount had been in place for some time.
Vice Chairman Mark Wagner said that he believed the amount was based on the population of the counties.
“If we don’t allocate them any funds at all they will close their office in Jersey County. I believe the only other office is in Macoupin County.” Ontis said. “So anyone from Calhoun, Greene or Jersey will have to travel to Macoupin County.”
The motion to allocate the funding for ROE was approved with board members Ed Koening, Jeremy Beasley and Jarrod Hayes voting “no.”
In other business, the board approved three petitions for aid for roadwork at Grafton Lane, Stagecoach Road and Dunham Road, and approved two preliminary engineering agreements with Veenstra and Kimm to replace structures at Sunderland Road and Green Acres Road.
The board also approved the renewal of liquor licenses for Grafton Winery, Pere Marquette Lodge, Beagle at the Junction, Lake Westside, Bawanas, Alton Motor Boat Cub, Whalen Hill American Legion Post 648, Tri-County Rod and Gun Club, Golf at Lockhave, Eckerts and Stanley’s Laughing Leprechaun.
The board also approved a motion to put an unused trailer on auction, and a separate motion to give the City of Jerseyville two unused carports that are currently stored at the Jersey County Highway Department.
