County Board Only Allocates Half the Extension Budget

When Effingham County voters approved a referendum many years ago to help fund the U of I Extension Service in the county, the County was designated as the pass-through agency to handle the funds.

This year, though, Extension is only going to receive half the $94,000 annual allotment, at least initially. The County Board Monday voted to allocate $47,000 to Extension. That's after complaints were received that Extension wasn't doing as much as was expected to meet consumer needs. Board member Norbert Soltwedel said he was told local residents weren't allowed to use pots and pans in the Extension Office, and that phone calls were going unanswered. Soltwedel suggested that if services were not being provided, a cut in the allotted funds might be appropriate until things changed. He said he was "very disappointed" that in the past year, Extension had been "essentially non-responsive" to their consumers.

Dana Homann from the U of I told Board members that calls weren't being answered since the phone system at the Extension Office wasn't up to the task, especially with staff working at home. Homann said that problem has now been addressed. She said staff members weren't allowed to go to the office until this month, and that they won't be back fulltime until April.

Board members acknowledged that they will eventually allocate the balance of the funds, but want to hear more from the U of I's side of the matter before deciding on the allocation.

Also Monday, County Board Chairman Jim Niemann confirmed that the County is rumored to be receiving $6.6 million in COVID relief funds for COVID-related expenses.

County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel challenged county residents to get out and vote in the April 6 balloting. Hirtzel said this election is for local offices, and that "these people affect your taxes more than Joe Biden does."

(COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN JIM NIEMANN READS THE PROCLAMATION HONORING SHERIFF'S DEPUTY DAVID KINKELAAR FOR 25 YEARS' SERVICE TO THE EFFINGHAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS KINKELAAR LOOKS ON)

Board members allocated $1,000 in hotel/motel tax revenue to this year's EdgewoodFest; heard from Abbott EMS officials on steps taken to lessen the Status Zero ambulance calls in the county; heard from County Economic Development Advisory Board Chairman Dave Campbell that a little over $30,000 is available to new or expanding businesses through the County's revolving loan fund; and honored County Sheriff's Deputy David Kinkelaar on his 25th anniversary with the Department.