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County approves The Workshop’s budget
GALENA–The Jo Daviess County Board met virtually on Tuesday, May 12 and approved The Workshop’s fiscal year 2021 budget and recommended that the county apply for and accept state grants with The Workshop as the transit operator under a probationary period ending March 1, 2021.
“There have been some issues with The Workshop as the administrator of the grant,” said board member John Lang, who serves on the grant administration oversight committee. “At this point, we are a drop dead place and have to go ahead and approve it. I don’t think we can do anything different at this point. I think the citizens of Jo Daviess County are going to be dependent on the transit program being there.”
Lang explained that the county receives two major grants for the transit department, Federal Section 5311 Transit Grant and the state’s Downstate Operating Assistance Grant.
“The problem we are having now is that revenue is down,” said Lang. “Ridership is down. There is a possibility that we have to come up with almost $87,518 depending on figures that you look at. The Workshop is trying to find new people to contract services because we are down.”
Lang explained that Piggly Wiggly is working on a contract with Transit for deliveries on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“I hope we don’t have to come up with the full $87,000, but right now we don’t have any choice,’ said Lang.
Grant program update
Jo Daviess County Planning and Development Administrator Eric Tison said his office has received 26 applications for grants from across the county totaling about $107,000.
“We are looking forward to having the committee review these and make a recommendation on them,” said Tison. “The feedback that I have received in the conversations that I have had with the applicants has been very positive, especially when they find out that they are eligible. It is hard for them to contain the excitement.”
The program was open until Friday, May 15 at 4 p.m.
The county board set a Small Business Stabilization Grant Program Committee meeting for Tuesday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m. and scheduled a special county board meeting for Wednesday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m.
Other business
The board also:
•learned Jo Daviess County is last in the region for U.S. Census reporting. Census Count Committee chairman Hendrica Regez reminded everyone to remind their neighbors to complete the census.
•approved an amendment to the destination marketing management agreement with Galena Country Tourism.
•approved the hiring of a deputy by Sheriff Kevin Turner to fill a future vacant position.
The County currently has a hiring freeze and all hiring must be approved by the county board.
“I think hiring a deputy would be a good idea,” said board member Lucas Bourquin.
•allowed the Jo Daviess County Ad-Hoc Economic Development Committee to begin scheduling virtual ZOOM meetings, effective May 18.
•congratulated board member LaDon Trost on the work that he has completed for truck drivers driving through Stockton.
Trost received a letter from Rep. Cheri Bustos thanking him for being a hero in his community.
•learned that the zoning board of appeals will meet on Wednesday, June 3 at 6 p.m.