Emergency Services Staffing Issues

 

 

Following up on a previous post noting METCAD staffing challenges reported by WCIA. The News-Gazette also highlighted more details about the work and life-balance challenges for METCAD staff. Below is also more staffing issues with the County's jail, public defender office, juvenile detention center and recent struggles for the Coroner's Office.

Excerpt from the METCAD article:

“We are authorized for 33 full-time telecommunicators and we have nine vacancies,” said Betsy Smith, operations manager for the agency that dispatches police, fire and ambulances to calls for service in Champaign County...

“It’s always been hard for us to get fully staffed,” said Smith, a 32-year veteran of METCAD in Urbana who dispatched for about 20 years before moving into a supervisory role.

“The last two years or so, a lot of things have happened: COVID, civil unrest, social injustice, defunding the police, police reform, mental health issues. I can’t say it’s one thing,” she said of the potential reason for the staff deficiency. 

That full article here. Excerpts from the article on other County staff shortages for criminal justice and emergency services from the News-Gazette:

The Champaign County Jail has a budget for 50 correctional officers but only 43 on staff, said Capt. Karee Voges, who oversees the jails. And with staff out on paid leave, it’s actually 40 people covering 50 spots, she said...

Keith Willis, superintendent of the Juvenile Detention Center, has 10 openings.

“We are authorized for 24 line officer positions and six supervisors. I currently have nine line officer positions open and one supervisor,” he said...

Janie Miller-Jones, Champaign County Public Defender, who recently lost three experienced felony attorneys to higher-paying jobs, persuaded Presiding Judge Randy Rosenbaum to appoint private attorneys — at taxpayer expense — to represent indigent defendants charged with murder until she has more staff and fewer open cases...

That full article with a lot more information here.

County Board Updates Into April

 

Right off the bat, Vote By Mail ballot requests are now available for the upcoming 2022 primary election on June 28th. Early voting for the 2022 primary will begin Thursday, May 19, 2022. More information available at the County Clerk's website here and the VoteChampaign non-partisan local candidate's guide here.

This post has some County Board related news and highlights from the March regular County Board meeting (video link - note: temporary link from livestream, agenda packet) and other Champaign County updates as we head into the month of April. For previous committee updates, check out our County Board updates from February and Early March. Below are also a couple direct links to presentations at the last Facilities Committee meeting on jail consolidation and planning the move of County government offices to the downtown plaza.

The News-Gazette's Tom Kacich had some information on County ARPA money and the overwhelming need for various infrastructure projects throughout the County. It was part of an opinion column, but had a lot of helpful details and numbers for everybody:

Champaign County has set aside $2 million of its $40.8 million bonanza of American Rescue Plan Act funds to help with badly needed sewer, water and drainage projects in small towns and rural areas of the county.

But it’s not nearly enough.

The county board has received formal requests for construction assistance from five villages, a water district and a drainage district. And more applications are expected; the final opportunity to make a request is at the April 7 meeting of the board’s environment and land-use committee. The total amount needed for sewer and water projects in the five villages alone is more than $25 million.

That full article here.

The News-Gazette also had a listing of candidates filing for County offices (Sheriff, Treasurer, Clerk, County Board seats, etc) here. While many candidates are not facing competition in the primary, some are and many more are facing competition in the general election otherwise. More on local candidates from the VoteChampaign non-partisan candidate's guide here (a project in collaboration with the Champaign County League of Women Voters). More on the VoteChampaign project (formerly known as the Champaign County Voters Alliance) here.

March Regular County Board Meeting:

It was picture day for the County Board, so you'll notice folks a bit more dressed up than usual in the meeting video. The in-person meeting also started off with a rededication of the Shields-Carter Meeting Room now that the room and entrance signs have been updated.

Here are some items discussed and some links to jump directly to that part of the meeting:

• Independent audit report by Baker Tilly on the County's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Full CAFR here on the County Auditor's webpage. The presentation begins about 9 minutes into the meeting here.
• There was some technical discussion on committing ARPA funds in steps to ensure flexibility for any unused funds. While the overall spending will likely not be impacted, the County Board will have an opportunity to approve the next round of funding on (e.g. on next year's budget) depending on the ongoing need. This discussion was had on both Rural Housing Rehabilitation Assistance (25 minutes into the meeting here) and the Champaign County Crime Stoppers gun bounty program (about 32 minutes into the meeting here).
• There was also an update and presentation from the Project Manager on ARPA related projects (see page of 42 (page 45 of the PDF file) of the agenda packet here).
• There was also a presentation on the Clark Lindsey Village proposal (PowerPoint presentation here, County Executive's memo on the proposal on the agenda packet here on page 48, page 51 of the PDF file). A couple board members raised concerns about labor rights and a possible conflict with the County's stated values. The presentation and discussion begin at the 55 minute mark in the video here.

The April 5th Facilities meeting (agenda here) will also have updates on the new County Plaza space and Jail consolidation planning. At the March meeting there were updates on those same two big County issues:

• Updates on the process for planning use for the new County Plaza space.
• Updates on the jail consolidation design plans and process.

The April 7th Environment and Land Use Committee will be looking at various proposals / recommendations for ARPA funds (agenda here, additional information on ARPA proposals here).

Other Champaign County News and Updates:

• Registration for the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event for Champaign County coming up early in April. More information and links from Smile Politely here.
• An article on Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, a group helping connect those wanting to do more in their community with various area boards and committees, also from Smile Politely here. 
• WCCU coverage on the rural home repair assistance approved by the County Board in March.
• Preview coverage by WCIA of some of the windfarm discussions in the last County Zoning Board meeting (agenda here, lots of additional material at the Zoning Board of Appeal page here for the March 31st meeting).
• WCIA coverage of a recent award of grant money to the Champaign County Forest Preserve District.
• Local weather and how it may impact the planting schedule this year from the News-Gazette. In related County Board and farming news, board member Stan Harper was named Farm Leader of the Year.