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Jo Daviess County Board concerned about secondary home owners
GALENA–The Jo Daviess County Board met virtually the afternoon of Monday, April 13.
COVID-19 pandemic-related concerns were at the forefront of discussion.
Board chair Scott Toot raised concerns about secondary home owners who are coming to The Galena Territory and Apple Canyon Lake to stay during pandemic and are traveling back and forth between their homes.
“If you are going to come out here, please stay here and don’t go back and forth,” Toot said. “I think the facts bear that out and that folks need to do that. Chicago is a hot spot right now, and there is no denying that. Facts are facts.”
“We need to make sure that people are staying home,” said board member LaDon Trost.
Other business
The board also:
•approved a $500 donation to Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. to support the hand sanitizer production.
•approved the acceptance of the fiscal year 2019 Jo Daviess County audit.
•approved a resolution to extend the 2020 deadline for filing senior freeze extension applications from July 1 to Oct. 1. The extension will only be for one year.
•approved a resolution postponing delinquency date interest for the first installment of 2019 (payable 2020) property tax payments. The postponement will be until Sept. 1.
Board member Diane Gallagher asked about the impact of the cash flow problems if a large number of people deferred payment on their taxes due to this decision.
“There are some people who are in dire need of this assistance right now,” said Trost. “There is no doubt that some will take advantage of it, but we need to move forward with this decision.”
“Due dates are still the same dates,” said county treasurer Melisa Hammer. “Due dates are still June 1 and Sept. 1; this is only in regards to the penalty for it.”
•approved to have a monthly review of an end date for limiting hours and staffing during the current COVID-19 catastrophic public health emergency.
•approved a request by Sheriff Kevin Turner to hire a corrections officer to fill a future vacant position.
•approved a letter of support for East Central Intergovernmental Agency (ECIA)’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant application to improve Iowa/Illinois port facilities.