Meeting Summary and Briefs: Montgomery County Board Buildings & Grounds Committee for July 7, 2026

Montgomery County Board Buildings & Grounds Committee Meeting | July 7, 2026

The Montgomery County Board Buildings & Grounds Committee met for just over an hour on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in the County Board Room on the second floor of the Historic Courthouse in Hillsboro, and worked through 11 items with four recommendations to show for it. Four of the committee’s six members attended — Connie Beck, Keith Hancock, Roy Schieferdecker and Vice Chair Russ Beason, who led the pledge. Cody Gudgel and Mark Hughes were absent, as was Board Chairman Doug Donaldson. County Board Administrator Mike Plunkett, Maintenance Director Phil Ernst, Animal Control Warden Tricia Papin, MCEDC Executive Director Kaitlyn Fath and Circuit Clerk Daniel Robbins also attended. There were no public comments.

The morning’s largest number arrived in a single envelope: a lone $94,888 bid from Henson Robinson Company of Springfield to replace the Historic Courthouse boiler, most of it covered by grant money, which the committee voted to recommend. It also recommended a $19,500 ramp and porch replacement at 127 N. Main, an $11,955 incinerator for Animal Control drawn from the county’s coal fund, and asked its maintenance director to seek bids to reroof the leaking Animal Control building rather than reseal it. All four are covered in separate stories, as is the $650 Otis Elevator surcharge that the county’s maintenance director paid after the committee had declined to recommend paying it.

The committee voted to pay the bills on a motion by Beck seconded by Hancock, and adjourned at 9:33 a.m. on a motion by Beck seconded by Schieferdecker.

Committee Weighs Buying Its Own Picnic Table — Or Donating One

The picnic table on the north side of the Historic Courthouse is due for replacement, and the committee spent part of Tuesday morning on how to pay for an 8-foot metal table with thermoplastic coating. Three options were discussed for the $1,095 table: Building & Grounds funds, grant funds, and the committee members donating it themselves. County Board Admin will seek grant funding, the minutes state. The committee then voted, on a motion by Beason seconded by Beck, on a motion the minutes phrase as one “to purchase” the table from Uline for $1,095; all in favor. A committee cannot purchase anything, and the item goes to the full County Board. The Uline product page in the committee’s handouts identifies the item as model H-10003BL, 96 by 61 by 31 inches, 170 pounds, in black, at $1,095 each or $1,070 for three or more.

Departments Told to Buy Their Own Signs

The committee discussed uniform signage for new county buildings but ultimately decided departments are responsible for making the purchases from their own budgets, according to the minutes. The committee recommended using the County Seal in signage when possible. Committee member Chad Ruppert had asked the committee to take up signage for new county buildings at the Coordinating Committee’s June 25 meeting. Which buildings are meant, and what the signs would say, is not recorded. No motion was made.

Maintenance Cleared 64 Work Orders in June

Maintenance Director Phil Ernst reviewed the 77 items on his report, noting his department completed 64 work orders in June and worked several overtime hours. The report itself is not among the committee’s handouts, and the minutes do not describe any of the 77 items, the nature of the overtime, or how many hours were involved. The department’s staffing has been under discussion in the county’s budget planning. No motion was made on the report.

Porch Lighting Waits on the Painters

Ernst recommended putting off discussion of lighting for the Historic Courthouse south porch until Cinric completes repairs and painting. That is the entirety of the record on the item, which had been previewed as one where the committee would review cost estimates. No estimates appear in the minutes, no figure is given, and no timeline for the painting work is recorded.

Mowing Contract Headed for August Agenda

Under “Other Business,” the committee discussed the possibility of contracting for mowing services in the FY2027 budget, and would like the item to be on the August agenda. The minutes name no contractor, no property and no figure, and do not say who currently mows.