County Board approves its share of funding for housing study

QUINCY — The Adams County Board voted to spend $7,500 toward a study on housing throughout Quincy and Adams County.

The County Board received letters from Quincy Medical Group, Titan, Knapheide and the Quincy Public Schools in support of such a study, calling more housing critical to bring in needed employees to the area.

Adams County and Quincy are each expected to put in $7,500 for the study, although the City hasn’t officially committed its portion yet. The money will be added to a $54,000 grant the Great River Economic Development Foundation procured from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for a total of $69,000 for the plan.

The County’s share will come from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Adams County Finance Committee Chairman Bret Austin also told the Board that the County’s Executive Committee had also approved putting up to $2 million toward improved housing throughout Adams County. The full County Board did not take action on that issue and Austin said the formal resolution was still being developed.

In other action, The County Board:

• Approved a nearly $2.2 million bid by Peters Heating and Air to replace the HVAC unit at the Adams County Juvenile Detention Center.
• Approved $25,000 for the Adams County Bicentennial Commission in preparation for the County’s 200th birthday in 2025. Attorney Ted Niemann and Holly Cain, executive director of the Quincy Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, were added to the commission.
• Heard a recommendation to stay with self-funded health insurance after a consideration to move to a fully-funded plan. The county employee’s health insurance costs are expected to take a nearly 35 percent increase next year.