The Jersey County Board approved the hiring of a new code administrator Tuesday night.

On a unanimous vote, board members agreed to employ Chris McElyea to replace the previous code administrator, Kayla Turner, who resigned from the office July 13. There was no discussion about the hiring Tuesday night, and McElyea did not attend the meeting.

County Board Chairman Mark Wagner noted the board's Personnel Committee recently held several meetings to review applications for the position before recommending that McElyea be hired.

Wagner said county officials have been working with McElyea to confirm a date when he will take over the duties of the position.

According to the county's website, the Code Administration Office includes a Building Division and the Building and Floodplain Management Division. The Building Division is responsible for ensuring compliance with local, state and federal standards to ensure the safety of the public. The Building and Floodplain Management Division also oversees development within the county's floodplains, ensuring that federal regulations are met.

The Code Administration Office is also responsible for the public safety, health and general welfare of unincorporated Jersey County, which it accomplishes via the adopted Codes of Ordinances, with the inclusion of the International Property Maintenance Code.

In May 2024, the County Board entered into an agreement with McElyea to replace windows and doors at the West Central Criminal Justice Building at 303 W. Exchange St.

Board OKs application for transit grant

The board also unanimously approved a request from Stephanie Stalhut, executive director of the Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation, to apply for a transit capital grant for Tri-County Rural Transit, which provides public transportation to all Jersey County residents. Illinois Valley operates the service, which is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Stalhut said Tri-County would use the grant to purchase computers, a tablet and cameras for the program. She said the agency also would like to use the grant to find and purchase approximately two acres in the county for a new office and dispatch facility.

Stalhut said Tri-County plans to apply for another transit capital grant in 2027 to fund construction of the new facility. She said she didn't know how much money the agency would apply to receive.

"We haven't gotten that far," Stahlhut said.

County resident questions need for new evidence storage facility

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Thomas Groppel, 84, of rural Jerseyville, shared his views on the county's recent decision to build a new evidence storage facility for the Jersey County Sheriff's Department across West Exchange Street from the Frank Yocom Law Enforcement Center.

Groppel argued that the new evidence storage building isn't needed and that the tract where the new facility will be built would be better used to expand the historic Jersey County Courthouse, which fronts Pearl Street to the south.

"If you look at that courthouse, the Baptist Church to the south is not going to move," Groppel said. "The ( Jerseyville Public Library) to the west is not going to move. The post office to the east is not going to move. You've got to come north."

Groppel also said county officials "can't explain" why they need to construct two new vaults for evidence storage in the facility under construction when the building it owns to the east already contains two vaults.

County officials previously have said the new building and vaults are needed because the existing evidence storage facility's roof has leaks that could result in evidence being damaged or destroyed, which they said could force prosecutors to dismiss charges in some criminal cases.

County Board honors longtime Fieldon mayor

The board also unanimously approved a resolution of sympathy for the family of Betty Ann (Stemmler) Duggan, who died Aug. 28 at the age of 86.

Duggan served 40 years as mayor of Fieldon and also worked as a bus driver for the Jersey Community Unit School District for 25 years.

County clerk warns mail-in voting for November still unclear

In her report to the board, County Clerk Pam Warford addressed the situation with voting by mail in the Nov. 3 general election in light of the Trump administration's efforts to place restrictions on mail-in voting.

"Bottom line is, we don't know exactly what our procedure will be for voting by mail," Warford said. "If folks have requested a ballot by mail, we are going to issue those ballots, one way or another."

Warford warned the board that if President Trump's executive order restricting mail-in voting is in effect for the November election, it will cost the county more money to make the required adjustments.

"I may be over budget," she said.

In other action, the board:

* Heard an update from Board Vice Chair Kara Ontis, who chairs the board's Finance, Taxes and Insurance Committee, on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget process.

* Approved grant applications for $3,000 for the Otter Creek Historical Society's Hamilton School Festival and $6,000 for the Downtown Country Christmas Festival and Bright Lights Celebration.

* Approved a recommendation from the Finance Committee to proceed with codifying changes to the county's Hotel/Motel Tax Ordinance, as well as changes to the ordinance governing wind and solar energy facilities.

* Approved a recommendation from the Finance Committee to employ Tom Glynn as contractor for the Assessor's Office to do reassessing. The agreement calls for Glynn to be paid $20 per hour for a maximum of 600 hours per year.

* Approved a resolution amending a 2019 resolution establishing circuit clerk fees, and criminal and traffic assessments to be charged by the clerk of the circuit court. Wagner said those updates were being mandated by the state of Illinois.

* Approved the appointment of Thomas June to the Workforce Development Board, effective immediately, until his successor can be named.

* Approved the appointment of John Nairn as the county's ethics officer, effective immediately, until his successor can be named. Wagner noted that state law requires the county to have an ethics officer.

* Approved the appointment of Crystal Perry to the Jersey County Board of Review, effective immediately, until her successor can be named.

* Approved the appointment of Edward J. Fanning to the Nutwood Drainage and Levee Board for a term from August 2026 until August 2029.

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