Fulton County Board Committee Minutes
Fulton County Board Office, 257 West Lincoln Street, Lewistown, IL 61542
Phone 309-547-0901 / Fax 309-547-3326 / email csimpson@fultonco.org
Committee: Public Safety & Campground
Meeting Place: Fulton County Courthouse, 100 N. Main St., Room 313, Lewistown, IL
Time: 5:00 pm
Date: September 13, 2022
CALL IN INFORMATION:
Call in number:(425) 4366382
Meeting code: 5189940 #
1. Call to Order
Time:
MEMBERS:
Cindy Arnett (present/xxxxxx) by phone
Steve Bohler (present/xxxxxx)
Mary Deushane (present/xxxxxx)
Dan Kumer (present/xxxxxx)
Nestor Madson (present/xxxxxx) arrived 5:02pm
Craig Medus (present/xxxxxx) by phone
Karl Williams (present/xxxxxx) arrived 5:02pm
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS: Roger Clark
ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICIALS: Chris Helle – Emergency Services Disaster Agency Director/Acting ETSB Director, Jeff Standard – Sheriff – by phone, John Young – Campground Superintendent
STAFF: Cindy Simpson, Administrative Assistant to Fulton County Board
GUEST(S): Jon Webb
1. Roll Call
Roll call was taken, quorum present
2. Call for Additions/Deletions To and Approval of the Agenda
Member Bohler moved to approve the agenda with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (5-0).
3. Approval of Previous Minutes – August 9, 2022
Member Bohler moved to approve the August 9, 2022 minutes with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (5-0).
4. Announcements, Communications and Correspondence – None
5. Public Remarks – None
6. Policies – None
7. Declaration of Surplus Property
Sheriff Standard reported the process to sell the squad cars has been started.
8. Claims
a. Sheriff
Sheriff Standard reported the total Sheriff claims were $20,761.31. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
b. Jail
Sheriff Standard reported the total Jail claims were $31,818.30. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
c. Animal Control
Sheriff Standard reported the total Animal Control claims were $35,570.50. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
d. Merit
Sheriff Standard reported the total Merit claims were $130.00. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
9. ESDA
a. ESDA Claims
Director Helle reported the total ESDA claims were $742.58. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
PUBLIC SAFETY
1. Old Business – None
2. New Business
a. Discussion/Action: Jail meals
Sheriff Standard discussed the Jail meals for FY23 may be considerably higher than FY22. The RFP for bids will be sent out October 1, 2022 for FY23.
3. Campground
a. Campground Claims
Superintendent Young reported the first Campground claims were $6,350.36. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
Superintendent Young reported the second Campground claims were $7,048.71. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call
vote (7-0).
b. Web claims – None
4. Old Business
a. Discussion: Campground Rates
Superintendent Young discussed the Campground rates. In 2019 the Public Safety committee did not want to collect 11.08 cents for the kilowatts for electricity, due to the possibility of the Campground making a profit and exceeding the rent clause. The campground does not collect $7,500.00 every year in electric fees from campers for the electric sites. Raising the rent will help the Campground avoid losing money on the electric bills paid each month. The 20% increase is included in the FY23 budget for the campground. The electric sites will pay an additional $175.00 per year to cover the infrastructure and maintenance improvements and the non electric sites will increase $110.00.
5. New Business
a. Discussion/Action: Campground Budget
Superintendent Young discussed in the FY23 budget. The electricity and maintenance revenue will be broken out individually. When campground improvements are made, the overall depreciation structure for the campground. This triggers the rent clause with MWRD (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago) and the campground is paid $1,683.00 in 2022 for rent. Other improvements that will cause rent to be paid to MWRD is the playground, fiber and the new dump station at the campground. The new dump station will likely affect the audit.
Member Kumer inquired about the lease agreement with MWRD that was signed for the campground, if the campground made a profit is the profit was paid to MWRD. Young stated this is partially correct the former Supervisor of Assessment did not take input on the language in the Campground agreement with MWRD.
Member Williams stated it is time to get rid of the Campground.
Young stated the campground is a luxury and is not a need. The campground rates need to increase to sustain itself. The campground rates are very affordable compared the rates to Webb Valley Camp ground, which charges $240.00 per month. Webb Valley does offer a cement pad to park campers on. Young stated it is about running the Campground effectively, not closing the campground down.
Member Kumer inquired if there are any future negotiations planned with MWRD regarding the lease agreement for the campground. Young stated MWRD has no reason to renegotiate the campground agreement. Young discussed the county is only paying $1,600.00 per year to rent the campground property, and this is a bargain.
Member Kumer stated the campground agreement needs to be reviewed for any possible revisions that can be made with MWRD. Young stated the former Supervisor of Assessment Regnier had specific verbiage put into the Campground agreement and the verbiage has Fulton County paying the taxes for the campground.
Young stated he has put additional funds in the budget for Courtney. Currently Courtney puts in more than 20 hours a week and is grossly underpaid. Young stated technically when working 20 hours a week and employee is entitled to IMRF, and this needs to be reviewed by the labor attorney.
Young discussed that the increases for products and services require additional funding, and with the 20% rate increase, the Campground has options.
Member Kumer inquired if some campers can volunteer to help out at the campground. Young stated he does have volunteers for physical help at the campground. The volunteers cannot use equipment at the campground due to the county’s liability insurance.
Member Williams inquired what the upcoming big projects are at the campground for FY23. Young stated for this fiscal year the drainage work on Hawk remains to be done.
Member Williams inquired who would erect the playground equipment. Young stated this will be done in house.
Member Williams asked if the campers would rather have higher rent or fiber optic. Young stated fiber is part of the business that is needed and keeps the campground operating efficiently and reliable phone service is needed. In 2019, a poll taken and 72% of campers would be open to Wi-Fi. Young is open to taking a new poll with campers.
Member Williams inquired if a poll was taken if the campers would rather have fiber or a rate increase. Young stated he would be open to taking a poll with the campers to obtain this information.
Member Bohler moved to approve the Campground budget with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-1) with Member Kumer voting nay.
6. Fulton County Camping and Rec
a. Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Young reported drainage and roadwork on little Sister Loop should be complete by September 13, 2022, barring any weather delays or equipment failures. Work on Hawk Lane will start soon. Pothole work is ongoing.
The delivery of the playground equipment may be delayed another 4 to 6 weeks.
Mid Century has contacted MWRD (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District), regarding the fiber optic project and the paperwork is being reviewed.
The Campground has not received the formal report from Dr. Hasselbeck regarding the lake health but the initial information indicates the campground will need one additional season for the grass carp to continue to do their work. There is a possibility the campground will need to add more grass carp to lakes 3.5 and 4. The State of Illinois will continue its fish stocking program.
The Campground currently has one electric and three non-electric sites open to the public.
The roadwork is completed on Little Sister Loop and the campground will be adding four additional campsites. The work will begin on the public access area for Little Sister Loop. The campground in house campsite bids will take place later in September.
Four campers received notice regarding the conditions of their campsites. Two campers are making great progress. One campsite has made some progress with grounds clean up and the last campsite has done nothing.
Young reported two active incidents. The first case; a dog, not being properly monitored by its owner, got loose and bit another camper. Fulton County Animal Control was contacted, Officer Beekman took a statement from the victim. At this time, the campground is waiting for further information from Animal Control.
The second incident involves an ongoing animal cruelty investigation by the Illinois Department of Conservation. The Campground has no additional information at this time.
Labor Day was good but not great. Fuel costs are still a burden and people are travelling to places where there are attractions. Fulton County has no real tourist attractions that operates on a scale that would bring bigger crowds to the area. Young is working on information about pollinator gardens at the campground to cut down on mowing.
7. Executive Session: – None
8. Misc. – None
9. Adjournment
Time: 5:32pm
Member Bohler moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:32pm with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (7-0).
Minutes Public Safety Campground Sept 13 2022
