La Salle County EMA unveils emergency preparedness app

Want to stay informed when disaster strikes? La Salle County now has an emergency preparedness app you can download to your smartphone.

Monday, on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, EMA director Fred Moore unveiled to the La Salle County Board the county’s new emergency app, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The app, available under “LaSalle County EMA Illinois,” features quick-reference information on natural disasters as well as crisis situations such as active shooters.

“This is one-stop shop place to go to get additional information on how to prepare,” Moore said.

The app also includes customizable features such as “Share My Plan,” which includes fields for people to identify, for example, a rendezvous point for family members to meet.

County regulates reimbursing shelters for spaying and neutering

Separately, the board also established rules and procedures for the Pet Population Control Fund. These include provisions for shelters to seek reimbursement for spaying and neutering.

“We needed to get some control on the money and how it was being distributed,” Board Member Joanne McNally (R-Mendota) said. “We’re trying to be more proactive.”

Board increased rates at the La Salle County Nursing Home

Finally, the board increased rates at the La Salle County Nursing Home, each by $10. The private room rate, for example, climbs from $207 per day to $217 per day.

Semi-private rooms now are $205 per day (up from $195) and the expanded semi-private room rate is $213 (The roll call vote was 17-10).

In other matters, the board:

-Updated health coverage for county employees (third-party administrator: Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois) and adopted an individual stop loss coverage (fee: $218.70 per member) up to $150,000

-Approved the addition of a wellness navigation platform for county employees (fee: $10.60 per employee per month) managed by HealthJoy

-Approved a 5% wage increase to non-union county employees for fiscal year 2024. Cost to the county: $375,000

-Will reconvene at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 in room 250