Published: August 23, 2009 06:38 pm      

Early office closings not on Board agenda

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Although the Jefferson County Board voted last month to review the issue of early closings of the treasurer and clerk’s offices, it is not a part of tonight’s agenda.

For several months, the board has been debating closing the offices early — as requested by office holders — or maintaining hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Office holders maintain the early closings are necessary in order to comply with the county’s financial policy, which states all money received in the offices on a given day must be counted, reconciled and deposited at the bank on the same day it is received.

The board approved temporarily closing the offices at 4 p.m. in July, with review at the July board meeting — which resulted in a temporary 4:30 p.m. closing during the month of August, to be reviewed at the August board meeting. When the agenda was released for the August board meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight, office hours are not included as a discussion item.

Of the 102 counties in Illinois, 12 counties have offices that close at 5 p.m., and of those, four have offices that are held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those counties which have hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. are Jefferson County, with a population of 40,045; Wabash County, with a population of 13,000; Winnebago County, with a population of 275,000; and Woodford County, with a population of 35,469. Those counties with hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. are Boone County, with a population of 50,000; Lake County, with a population of 644,356; Peoria County, with a population of 183,000; Sangamon County, with a population of 190,000; St. Clair County, with a population of 270,000; and Tazewell County, with a population of 133,000. Cook County, with a population of 5.5 million, has county office hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Lawrence County, with a population of 15,452, has hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The remaining counties have office hours from 8 to 4 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with the exception of Putnam County, which has a population of 6,086, and has county office hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tonight’s agenda items for discussion include:

The Fiscal Committee report items of county finances, budget proposals, the process for demand claims, audit of claims, approval of payroll distribution reports, approval of pre-paid claims and review reports;

The Highway Committee report items of cameras for the maintenance yard, monthly claims, monthly fuel quote, budget and levies, road signs and bid award for Scheller Bridge; and

Acceptance of the public defender and animal shelter reports; a resolution for Workforce Develop-ment Week.

The County Board will meet at 7 p.m. tonight in the County Board Room located in the basement of the Jefferson County Court-house.