The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tuesday to review the current state of secondary roads with Winnebago County Secondary Roads Engineer Scott Meinders. The board will also look into drainage matters with the Auditor’s Office.
The board will then consider disbursal of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The county was given money from the program to make up for losses incurred during the pandemic. The board has decided to spend money on the transfer of audit and recorder books into electronic images. The Auditor’s and Recorders Office have been limited to $100,000 in expenditures to accomplish the task. This will give faster access to vital information for both offices.
The board has allotted up to $800,000 for the expansion and remodeling of the Public Health Building. Currently, the space is very limited, and nurses are sharing small offices while working on confidential patient information. Waiting areas are also small and the remodeling should resolve these important issues.
The board has also allotted up to $500,000 for the construction of the new Environmental Education Center. Originally, the intent was not to use any taxpayer dollars on the planned facility, however the opportunity to assist in moving the project forward presented itself and the board hesitantly offered up the money.
The board is also laying the groundwork for an Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee. The county is considering the idea of turning EMS into an essential service and taking over the Forest City, Lake Mills, and Buffalo Center services. Informational meetings are scheduled for April 26th and May 10th. The meetings will begin in the basement meeting room of NSB Bank in Forest City at 6pm. The public is encouraged to attend these vital meetings on the future of EMS in the county.
