V. Hugh Lewis II/Jefferson Jimplecute
May will be Mental Health Awareness Month, April was Child Abuse Awareness Month, and next week, April 30-May 7, will be Soil and Water Stewardship Week, following the approval of three proclamations by County Commissioners on Monday.
“Calling attention to the mental health needs, improving the quality of life for all children, and recognizing the need to protect our natural resources, is key to maintaining our way of life here in Marion County,” said Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur.
The Marion County Jail will begin accepting electronic Bail Bonds instead of cash and money orders as commissioners approved a contract with Genesis eBonds for the next year.
“While we’ll still accept cash or checks if that’s what the person needs to do,” said Marion County Sheriff David Capps, “this will help make it easier to post bonds and reduce the handling of funds in the jail.”
The new system, which will require the purchase of a signature tablet, connects to the existing jail software, SSI. There will be no fees to the County for the service, as the bonding company will pay the $10 service fee. The system also uses Govolution, the credit card agent for eBonds which charges a 2.95% credit card, and $2.00 charge for debit card usage to post bonds. Those fees are also paid by whomever posts the bond.
The Marion County Clerk’s Office is also improving service offerings with the recent addition of a large format printer. The printer/plotter allows the office to provide full size copies of plats and other large documents. Commissioners set the fees for copies at $5-15 depending on the size of the document. The machine also allows the Clerk’s office to scan in large documents for inclusion in the county digital records.
Commissioners will begin taking bids for road and bridge supplies and fuel. Bids must be submitted by 9a.m. May 30 to the County Auditor, 102 W Austin, Room 102, to be considered. Commissioners will then review and award contracts during the May 30 meeting.
The items to be bid are recycled road topping, sand, clay, gravel – including contract gravel delivery, pre-mixed oil dirt, road oil, on- and off-road diesel, and unleaded gasoline.
Marion County is seeing a $1,010 increase in the cost of their liability insurance for officers and public officials from the TAC Risk Management Pool fund.
Commissioners will meet again on May 8.