State ponies up reimbursement payment

The total bill owed by the state to Franklin County for probation and detention services has declined to under $1 million.
Treasurer Keith Jones reported at a Monday meeting the state has released a $300,000 reimbursement payment to the county, lowering the total state debt to about $748,000.
The county had considered an ordinance petitioning the Illinois Attorney General's office to add the probation and detention officers of the Second Judicial Circuit in the A.G.'s action against the state to continue paying state employees. The General Assembly's action to approve a budget reportedly made that a moot point.
"I think the (state) budget will alleviate some problems," State's Attorney Evan Owens said. "We will keep plugging away."
"I think the fact that you put pressure on them certainly helped," Chairman Randall Crocker acknowledged.
Owens, under guidance from the county board, has been in negotiations for several months with local and state court officials in getting timely payments for the county. At one time, the state owed the county more than $1.3 million.
As a result, the county issued $700,000 in tax anticipation warrants to get them through the financial crisis. That loan will have to be repaid when the county starts receiving real estate tax collections.
Jones said the county's common account, following claims this month of $140,000, should reach the $1 million mark.
On the positive side, Jones said he continues to receive sales and income tax receipts from the state. Negatively, Jones said the county likely will fall about $100,000 short this fiscal year in what was budgeted for the state income tax.
Budget meetings with department heads to begin planning for the 2017-18 fiscal year budget will begin Aug. 17.
Also this week, Ryan Patton was appointed to the 708 Board, replacing Dave Severin; and a temporary hire for the sheriff's department was approved.