Taxpayers Vent Frustrations Over Road District Tax Hike
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Back-to-back meetings of the Perry County Board of Commissioners began at 1:30 p.m. to allow for the truth-in-taxation hearing to address the 2009 Perry County Unit Road District property tax levy.
A hearing is required any time a taxing district wants to raise its levy more than 5 percent in one year. The road district wanted to raise its levy from $455,455 to $483,770.
That fact caused many of the attendees of the meeting to speak up.
Steve Gartside asked, "When will the taxes stop?"
And Bruce Morgenstern asked, "Was there a study done on if [the unit road district] will save us money? Where did the initial idea come from?"
The origin of the unit road district remained a heated topic as the discussion continued. It began to envelope things like how people got jobs in the road district.
A few claimed to have witnessed county road workers who were inexperienced in operating mowing tractors cause damage to a number of the roads and shoulders.
"Hiring must be approved by the board, but we should hire those qualified for the job and not rely on politicians to hire family," chairman Bobby Kelly said.
Commissioner Sam Robb claimed that for the county to be an equal opportunity employer a job posting must be made and applications accepted so that the most qualified candidate be hired for the job.
Chairman Kelly suggested that more hiring practice research be put into the topic and place it on next meetings ballot.
At the end of the hearing, the board approved the higher levy.
The regular meeting began at 2 p.m., starting with a discussion about appointing trustees to the Pinckneyville Community Hospital District. A previous request had been made to replace those board members that had voted against keeping skilled care open with those that would have an interest in keeping it open.
The issue of skilled care was again discussed, this time at the county level, and ended with Chairman Kelly deciding to keep the current board members.
"They have a plan and cutting it off now would only set things back. I want to see what they can do," Kelly said.
The board then approved the chairman's appointment keeping the three current board members; Dr. Rowe, Gary Timpner and John Shotton.
Other items covered on the agenda:
Approved an ordinance adopting the proposed County Code of Ordinances that has been in the works for the past five to six years. The book will be updated every year and creates easy access to all of the county's laws and regulations.
Approved an ordinance levying 2008 (payable 2009) property taxes for County purposes (See Page 3).
Approved an ordinance levying 2008 (payable 2009) property taxes for Unit Road District purposes.
Approved an ordinance establishing county holidays for 2009 (see Page 3).
Approved an ordinance establishing the County board meeting dates for 2009 (see Page 3).
Passed a resolution authorizing county motor fuel tax appropriations for 2009, in the approximate amount of $350,000.
Passed a resolution authorizing the county's annual participation in State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor program, costing $8,000.
Passed a resolution ratifying the chairman's appointment of Fred Kelly to the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission.
Tabled a resolution to ratify the chairman's appointment of a member to the Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Council until a reply is received about if the member in question desires to be appointed again.
Passed a resolution to ratify the chairman's appointment of Robert Spencer to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Discussed possible revision of the agreement with Pinckneyville Ambulance Service in regard to the service of territory in Coulterville Fire Protection District since the Coulterville Ambulance Service is withdrawing its certificate. This item will be covered again next meeting.
Discussed the County's Geographic Information System with Bruce Harris and Associates, who had previously done the rural mapping of the county, and now seek to do the municipal mapping. This item will be covered next meeting.
The next County meeting will be on Thursday, January 8, 2 p.m.