GRANBERG-CAVALETTO RACE WON’T BE DECIDED UNTIL NOV 21
Since Tuesday’s election, WGEL has been watching the Illinois House race for the 107th District. As of Wednesday afternoon, the incumbent Democrat Kurt Granberg held a 114 vote lead over Republican challenger John Cavaletto. The district includes parts of Clinton, Marion, Jefferson, and Fayette counties. Cavaletto has commented that he will await the final certification of the official results before taking further action.
The final totals for the counties involved will not be tabulated until November 21. Voter laws require all counties to wait up to 14 days for provisional ballots and absentee ballots before certifying the election results. Provisional ballots are cast at the polls by those who are not registered to vote but can provide proof of residence. These are always set aside election night and counted later. Absentee ballots postmarked prior to November 7 but arrive in the mail after the election can be counted. These may include military absentee which is why there is a fourteen day waiting period before doing the final canvas.
Marion County Clerk Steve Bailey told WGEL that they will count the provisional and additional absentee ballots on November 21st prior to the canvass and certification of the results. Bailey also confirmed that it was a precinct east of Patoka that was the last to be counted in the Granberg-Cavaletto race. According to Bailey, a computer malfunction led to a manual count. The Marion County results were not complete until 5am Wednesday. Marion was the only county of the four won by Cavaletto as he garnered 380 more votes than Granberg. Jefferson County will also wait until the 21st to count the provisional and absentee ballots.
BOND COUNTY HEALTH INSURANCE DECISION IS MADE BY BOARD
Bond County will see an increase in insurance costs due to a reported miscommunication on the details of a proposed plan by GHP. Brooke Earnest, chairperson of the Insurance Committee, presented to the Bond County Board Wednesday a recommendation for a new, updated insurance coverage plan for the county. At the board's October 19 meeting, GHP PPO 900 was recommended, and approved to save the county an estimated 14% compared to the current coverage. The plan had a $1,500 deductible with the employee responsible for the first $500, and the county picking up the remaining $1,000. After further investigation, it was determined that all co-pays would not take effect until the deductible was met.
The insurance committee has since met and now recommends to the Bond County Board a new plan by the same company, but without the savings expected. Instead, the new policy will cost the county an estimated 5.6% more than their current plan with the county being responsible for a $1,500 share of a $2,000 deductible. Some audience members questioned whether or not all companies had a chance to submit quotes within these parameters. Earnest explained that a decision needs to be made by December 1, otherwise the county will have to pay premiums on the current plan. After lengthy discussion, the Bond County Board approved the recommendation of the insurance committee for the new insurance plan.
BOND COUNTY CAN NOW TAKE INTERNET 9-1-1 CALLS
Bond County can now take voice-over IP 9-1-1 calls. At Thursday’s Emergency Telephone Systems Board meeting, Coordinator Alan Davis reported that the county went on-line for these calls last week. Davis explained to WGEL that these are basically phone calls over the Internet. There are approximately thirty customers in Bond County who have this phone service.
Following a brief closed session to discuss personnel, the ETSB voted in favor of an increase in the coordinator’s salary of $1,000. Davis reported that Bond County will be switching companies for their maintenance of the recorder logger equipment which is located where the 9-1-1 phone calls are answered. The ETSB postponed its annual reorganization of board officers until next month.
