Recycling registered

While it was announced on Tuesday that the Fayette County Health Department is starting an electronic recycling program, that agency will simply be handling paperwork associated with the current program.
Fayette County Board Vice Chairman Darrell Schaal, conducting the board’s meeting on Tuesday in the absence of Chairman Jeff Beckman, reported on the electronic program, but said he had no details.
Kendra Craig of the health department said on Wednesday morning that the Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation District is still operating that recycling program at its office at 301 S. Third St. in Vandalia.
“All it is is paperwork,” Craig said.
She said that six counties have been listed as participating in an electronic recycling program, and that Fayette was one of those, due to the fact that the local program was not registered through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Craig said that electronic recycling programs must be registered through a county and its solid waste coordinator, the position that she holds.
“Everything (about the program) is the same as it has been,” Craig said.
“It’s still free for residents of Vandalia and $5 (per drop-off) for everyone else,” she said.
In July 2017, the Vandalia City Council voted to add a 25-cent surcharge to city water bills for the electronic recycling program, as well as a $1 surcharge for the recycling program operated by FAYCO Enterprises.
By registering the program, Craig said, the county will now be eligible to write applications for more grants, such as the one the health department received last year for a one-day recycling collection.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the county board in less than 15 minutes took six votes to take care of 15 items. Twelve of the 15 items were taken care of through two consent agenda votes.
With one of those votes, the board:
• Approved sending an annual commitment letter stating that the board will continue to recognize Tourism Bureau IllinoiSouth as the county’s state-certified tourism bureau.
• Approved the low bid of $1,613,462.77 from Howell Paving of Mattoon for the rehabilitation of about five miles of County Highway 28, also known as the Altamont Road, in LaCleded Township.
• Approved an intergovernmental agreement between the county and city of Vandalia that allows the city to seek Community Development Block Grant funds for the replacement of water lines.
The project includes replacement of antiquated lines in the northeast part of the city as well as lines just outside the city in the area of Vandalia Country Club, including the area known as Waltonville.
• Approved a resolution authorizing the board chairman to enter into a grade audit agreement with Smartwatt Energy Inc.
The agreement calls for Smartwatt to conduct an audit and identifies energy conservation measures that are recommended for installation and/or implementation.
The county is paying $5,000 for that service.
In the other consent agenda vote, the board approved the county’s claims (bills) and payroll, as well as pay to board members for meetings they attended within the past month.
In one separate vote, the county approved a contract with N Harris Computer Corp. for a Timeclock Plus purchase.
At the board’s finance committee meeting, Cat Lange of Bellwether, the county’s management consulting firm, told board members that in addition to providing the county with a time clock, the system offers “a ton of reporting capabilities.
“It’s really in the best interest of the employer and the employee,” Lange said, noting that county employees will be able to go online to check their personnel information.
The initial investment for the system is $22,739, and there is an annual maintenance fee of $3,750, and the cost is being shared by the county and the health department, which also will use the system.
In another vote, the board approved a resolution adding the county board as a partner in the Vandalia ONE Workforce Development Memorandum of Understanding.
The board also approved an ordinance and intergovernmental agreement for the continuation of the CEFS public transportation program.