By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Committees of the Jefferson County Board will be meeting next week to discuss business ranging from repairs to the Justice Center roof, finances, and hiring an attorney to possible penalties to residents who go around signs in flooded areas.

The Building and Inventory Committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, with the main item of discussion to be a letter to request repairs to the Justice Center roof and possible litigation about the roof.

According to Jefferson County Sheriff Roger Mulch, since the roof was put on the facility, there have been leaks, first manifesting with sodden and broken ceiling tiles.

“It wasn’t put on right,” Mulch said. “We’ve had to be on the roof since the first day we moved in.”

As a result, the committee will be talking about pursuing a lawsuit on the issue.

The Building and Inventory Committee will also discuss the status of repairs in the supervisor of assessments office.

The Highway Committee will be meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday and will talking about establishing a penalty for going around signs in flooded areas.

Flood gates and flooding signs were a major topic of discussion by the county in March 2008, after two people drowned in flood waters on Hall Lane. According to information provided at the time, Jefferson County Board Chairman Ted Buck said he and others had been talking about floods and uses of gates for flood-prone areas.

The Highway Committee will also discuss the Scheller Bridge; equipment; proposals for the Federal Economic Recovery package; and a new program for villages, townships and the county.

The Land, Tax and Appointments Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday with the main discussion item to be the county owned mineral rights.

Last month, the county board authorized Buck and vice chairman Fred Edwards to speak with Energy Plus, coal brokers for the Dodds Pendleton Coal Association, about selling 7,000 acres of mineral rights. The rights were given to the county through quitclaim deed several years ago by Exxon.

Following the Land, Tax and Appointments Committee meeting, the Services Committee will meet at 7 p.m. to discuss a confirmation of hiring an attorney for a pending election lawsuit.

Jefferson County State’s Attorney candidate Nicole Villani has filed a petition in court contesting the results of the Nov. 4 election, charging ineligible voters and marked ballots as the basis for her challenge. Named as defendants in the lawsuit are Jefferson County State’s Attorney Jeff Bradley and Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Connie Simmons.

In addition, the committee will discuss a possible evaluation of current insurance policies and coverage and hold an executive session to discuss collective bargaining issues.

After the Services Committee, the Fiscal Committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Among the items slated for discussion are an update on county finances, tax anticipation warrants and a report on Immigration Customs Enforcement detainees.

The county board approved entering into a one-year intergovernmental agreement with ICE to house detainees at the Justice Center. The agreement has been presented to ICE with the provisions for IC to pay the county $60.30 per day per inmate with a $25.97 per day per inmate with a $25.97 per hour stationary guard service and $26 per hour for transportation plus the federal mileage rate, which is 58.5 cents per mile.

With the exception of the Highway Committee, the meetings will be held in the Jefferson County Board Room in the basement of the courthouse. The Highway Committee will meet at the Jefferson County Highway Department at 750 Old Fairfield Road.