Finances ‘dire’ in Perry County in southern Illinois

PINCKNEYVILLE, Ill. – Officials in a southern Illinois county have declared a financial emergency after a consultant described the situation as “dire.”

Members of the Perry County Board are discussing ways to raise fees to bring in more revenue, from animal control to the clerk’s office to the sheriff’s department.

The Southern Illinoisan reports the financial emergency triggers several restrictions on county offices. Any travel that isn’t crucial has been suspended, along with new hires.

Judge James Campanella asked the board to give county officials two weeks to work on a remedy. He says morale among county employees is low.

Consultant Bruce DeLashmit, who made a weeklong “deep dive” into county finances, will speak to the board again on Thursday.

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Information from: Southern Illinoisan, http://www.southernillinoisan.com