The Clark County Board met in regular session on Friday, July 17, 2026. Brandon Burkybile arrived during public comment. Susan Guinnip was absent.
Public Comment
One gentleman spoke to the board about the cost of his tax bill. “My taxes last year was $5,624. This year they’re $12,180. My wife and I both have to work just to make ends meet. That $12,000 is going to cost me $1,000 a month to live in my house.”
Assessor Lisa Richey explained that his forestry lease had expired. When asked about the farm discount, Richey explained that 50% or more of the property has to be farmed to qualify. She added that she is checking into a conservancy lease to help with the cost.
County Engineer Dallas Richardson commented that the board has done what it can to keep the rates steady from its portion of the tax bill. Richardson pointed out that in the tax bill there are other taxing bodies adding to the total, such as the schools, parks, library, etc. “Taxing bodies have to be responsible like the county board has been at keeping their steady where it is.”
One board member said “we’re the bad people because we send out the tax bills. We collect the money, but then we distribute all of it out and keep the 14 cents that’s left over, and it makes us look like we’re in charge of this.”
The gentleman said “I’ll pay what I paid last year.”
Richey cautioned that the software can only take the amount of the installment. The system does not allow for partial payments or payment plans. “If you don’t pay the full amount, it has to, by state law, go through tax sale every year. Once it goes through the tax sale, that bidder is coming in and putting a lien on your property because they’re paying us for what you owe.”
It was mentioned that he would be taking the matter up before the review board. It was noted also that doing so would not change the current year tax bill amount.
Illinois Extension Update
Jennifer Bishop began a new role in January as an economic and community development educator with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois Extension serving Clark, Crawford and Edgar counties.
Bishop said she is the first Illinois Extension educator in the state to hold a dual role serving both youth and adults. She provides educational resources for businesses and local governments and works with adults and children on college and career readiness.
Community Development Newsletter
Illinois Extension will publish the Clark County Community Development Newsletter quarterly, with the possibility of increasing publication to every other month if interest grows. Bishop said the next issue is expected in August.
Businesses, local officials and other interested residents can subscribe through Illinois Extension’s Monthly Digital Newsletter Sign Up form.
Facilitating Poverty Simulation
In October, Illinois Extension will hold a Facilitating Poverty Simulation. Bishop encouraged board members to attend and said nonprofit organizations, city councils and other governing boards will also be invited.
“We can do a really great community learning experience to know what people in poverty are really experiencing,” Bishop said.
Mindful Me Kits
Illinois Extension received a grant from United Way of the Wabash Valley to provide “Mindful Me Kits” to Monroe Elementary School in Casey, Martinsville Elementary and Marshall North Elementary School in Marshall.
The kits will contain social-emotional learning curriculum and supplies for use in the schools.
Working with the Clark County Health Department, Illinois Extension has also assembled a resource guide that is available through the Extension website.
Clark County Development Organization
Bishop said she looks forward to helping reactivate the Clark County Development Organization. She said Laura Pearce and Tom Daughhetee are working with an attorney to confirm or restore the organization’s nonprofit status, although a date for its next meeting has not been announced.
National Road Trail System
She also discussed the National Road Trail System, a proposed multi-use trail system intended to promote health and wellness, tourism and economic development in Clark County. Bishop said she is excited about bringing the project’s participants back together and continuing its development.
Clark County 4-H Fair Week
Bishop concluded by highlighting Clark County 4-H Fair Week. She said Clark County has one of the largest 4-H programs in the region, with 390 youth enrolled.
“I highly encourage you guys to come out to a livestock show, but also come out to the Art Hall Friday and Saturday,” Bishop said. “They’re going to be the leaders of our county.”
Highway Department Claims
County Highway Engineer Dallas Richardson updated the board on various county highway maintenance and improvement initiatives.
Hogue Town Road
Richardson said the Clark County Highway Department will complete the resurfacing work as a day-labor project using county employees and equipment. The county conducted a material letting for the necessary culvert pipe, aggregate and other supplies.
One submitted bid contained an incorrect unit price because the vendor entered the price of a 50-pound package as the per-pound price. Richardson contacted the vendor to clarify the discrepancy.
The board approved Resolution No. 13-00272-00-RS, approving the material letting for the project.
Richardson said specialized portions of the work, including guardrail installation and insertion pipe lining, will be performed by contractors rather than county personnel.
The board also approved Resolution No. 24-00272-01-GR, authorizing a Joint Funding Agreement for Federally Funded Construction. Richardson said the agreement covers approximately $200,000 in project costs involving federal or state funding, with the county responsible for a local match.
Clarksville Road Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Engineering Agreement
Richardson reminded the board of guardrail improvements completed along Clarksville Road approximately four years ago with funding through the Highway Safety Improvement Program.
He proposed seeking funding for a new project west of Westfield, along the section of Clarksville Road approaching the Coles County line. The proposed project would add paved safety shoulders to the roadway.
Richardson said he intends to study the entire Clarksville Road corridor and develop a comprehensive safety plan. The study would document safety needs throughout the corridor and support future grant applications for improvements to individual sections of the road.
He explained that factors such as traffic volume, crash history, fatalities, serious injuries and roadside hazards can affect whether a project qualifies for safety funding. Establishing a corridor-wide plan would allow the county to identify and prioritize future projects as funding becomes available.
The board approved an engineering agreement totaling $12,000.96 for the corridor study and preparation of the initial funding application.
Illinois OSHA Inspection
Richardson reported that the Illinois Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an inspection of the Clark County Highway Department. The inspection resulted in three citations related to safety-program administration and documentation, but no fines were assessed.
Richardson said employees receive formal training in hazardous-energy control procedures, commonly known as lockout/tagout, but the department did not have the required written energy-control program.
The department also maintains several binders containing safety data sheets for hazardous materials but lacked a written hazard-communication program and policy.
Richardson said the county’s insurance provider conducts an annual workplace hazard assessment and that the department is already carrying out many of the required safety practices. Staff are now developing the formal programs, policies and documentation required to address the inspection findings.
Casey Township 450 Street Box Culvert
The board approved a resolution to award contract for replacing a box culvert on 450th Street in Casey Township to the lowest responsible bidder Samron Midwest Contracting of Murphysboro.
Data Center Concerns
Bob Crocker, a former Sullivan County, Indiana Council Commissioner urged the board to establish regulations governing data-center developments before any projects are proposed in Clark County.
Crocker said Sullivan County is experiencing large-scale land acquisition and construction associated with proposed data centers. He argued that local governments should study the potential effects and consider a temporary moratorium before developers begin purchasing property or seeking project approval.
He raised concerns about demands on electrical and water systems, damage to local roads, construction noise, effects on neighboring property values and the number of permanent local jobs the developments would ultimately create. Crocker said thousands of workers may be involved during construction, but alleged that relatively few permanent positions would remain after a facility is completed.
Crocker also questioned whether the increased property value and promised economic activity would produce the level of local tax revenue anticipated. He encouraged county officials to examine potential tax exemptions, infrastructure costs and responsibility for repairing roads damaged during construction before approving a development.
He said counties should consider requiring data-center developers to provide dedicated electrical-generation and water infrastructure rather than drawing entirely from existing public systems.
Crocker pointed to Sullivan County as a warning about attempting to impose controls after development is already underway.
“Get ahead of the curve, or you’re going to be caught like Sullivan County,” Crocker said. “It’s going to be hard to stop a freight train out of control.”
IT and County Website Update
IT Director Alex Carrell updated the board on development of features for the new website. He highlighted the employee login portal which was a concern for Human Resources. Additionally, Alex reported that the new phone system is expected to be completed by mid-August.
Clark County Ambulance Service Update
Clark County Ambulance Service Director Chace Bramlett reported that the service continues to receive more than 200 calls per month, with approximately 2,250 calls recorded during the past 12 months.
During the previous month, the service recorded 68 paramedic chase-vehicle responses and 14 out-of-county transports. Mutual aid was called into the county once, although the service reached Level Zero several times, meaning no ambulances were immediately available to respond.
Bramlett said the service is attempting to increase the number of interfacility transports it accepts because those calls generate revenue. However, it declined 65 transfer requests during the previous month because ambulances or personnel were unavailable.
Bramlett reported that the service met its 15-minute response-time benchmark on 88% of calls. When out-of-county responses were excluded, that rate increased to 94.8%.
Ambulance Billing
Bramlett said the service has encountered problems identifying third-party liability coverage, including automobile insurance and workers’ compensation policies responsible for some ambulance bills.
He said some accounts had been written off without the applicable third-party coverage being identified. The service is reviewing those cases and its billing procedures in an effort to recover revenue that may otherwise have been missed.
Casey Ambulance Station
Bramlett reported structural problems at the Casey ambulance station. He said a tower attached to the rear of the building has pulled the back wall approximately five to six inches out of alignment, creating a gap large enough to place a hand through and allowing water to enter the ambulance bay.
Maintenance and electrical work are planned while the county continues looking for a replacement station in Casey.
Bramlett said he recently had a productive conversation with Casey Mayor Mike Nichols about possible locations. Options include placing a modular facility on the existing property or relocating the station to another suitable site within Casey.
“We’re finally getting moving on this,” Bramlett said. “We’re expecting to see some movement there soon.”
Ambulance Fleet
Bramlett said the service’s next new ambulance will be assigned to the Casey station. Once it is placed into service, each of the county’s three ambulance stations will have a newer front-line ambulance.
The ambulance assigned to Marshall last year has already accumulated approximately 47,000 miles. Bramlett said the vehicles are used heavily and that he is reviewing available options for the service’s next ambulance purchase.
Clark County Ambulance Service Approaches 50 Years
Bramlett concluded his report by recognizing actor and emergency medical services advocate Randolph Mantooth, who died July 9 at age 80.
Mantooth played firefighter-paramedic Johnny Gage on the television series Emergency!, which introduced millions of viewers to paramedicine and prehospital emergency care during the 1970s.
“They showed America what paramedics could be, what they could do and how to get it going,” Bramlett said.
When Emergency! debuted in 1972, only 12 paramedic units were operating in North America. By 1982, more than half of the United States population lived within 10 minutes of a paramedic or ambulance unit.
“I grew up watching Emergency! every Saturday night,” Bramlett said. “I knew what I was going to do.”
Bramlett connected the influence of Emergency! to the development of paramedic services in Clark County. The Clark County Ambulance Service is approaching its 50th anniversary, and Bramlett credited Dr. Jim Turner with playing an important role in its development into a paramedic-level emergency medical service.
Before attending medical school, Turner worked for a full-time ambulance service in Decatur and became that city’s first paramedic in the early 1980s. He later attended the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and returned to the Wabash Valley after completing his family medicine residency.
Bramlett recently spoke with Turner, who had met Mantooth, about the influence Emergency! had on public awareness and the development of paramedicine. Bramlett suggested that the County Board formally recognize Turner’s contributions and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Clark County Ambulance Service.
Appointments
The board approved the following appointments:
- Appoint Stephen Smith to the North Fork Conservancy District Board, this is a five-year term and will expire on 8th, 21th, 2031.
- Appoint Steve Atwood to the Union North Water Board, this is a five-year term and will expire on 8th, 1, 2031.
- Reappoint Tony Glenn to the Clark County Housing Board, this is a five-year term and will expire on 8th, 1, 2031.
- Reappoint Rhonda Parker, who is a tenant to the Clark County Housing Board, this is a one-year term and will expire on 8th, 1, 2027.
