Boone County - Backgrounder
Written by a machine from this government’s own published pages, and current as of September 13, 2026. Rosters and meeting times change; where this and the government’s own site disagree, theirs is right. How this is written
Overview
Boone County is located in northern Illinois, with its county seat in Belvidere. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county covers 282.039 square miles (280.741 square miles land, 1.298 square miles water) and had a population of 53,448 as of the 2020 census. The county is part of the Rockford, Illinois metropolitan area and is bordered by Rock and Walworth counties in Wisconsin to the north, McHenry County to the east, DeKalb County to the south, and Winnebago County to the west. Boone County was formed on March 3, 1836, out of Winnebago County and named for Kentucky frontiersman Daniel Boone.
The county government operates under Illinois statute with a 12-member elected County Board as its legislative body. The Board uses a Committee of the Whole (COTW) structure for much of its deliberative work. The county provides services through a mix of elected constitutional officers (Sheriff, Clerk & Recorder, Circuit Clerk, Coroner, Treasurer, State’s Attorney) and appointed department heads. Two separately governed conservation districts—the Boone County Conservation District and the Boone County Soil & Water Conservation District—operate independently with their own elected boards.
The County Board
- Composition: 12 members elected from three districts (four members per district)
- Chair and Vice-Chair selection: Elected by the members of the Board. The current Vice-Chairman is Rodney Riley (District 3). The Chair is not published on the website sources.
- Terms: Board member terms are two or four years; members elected in 2024 have terms expiring December 2026, while those elected in 2026 have terms expiring December 2028
- Meeting schedule: Not published on the county website (day, time, and frequency not specified). The August 20, 2026, meeting record shows a meeting at 6:30 PM at 1212 Logan Avenue – County Board Room.
- Meeting location: 1212 Logan Avenue – County Board Room, Belvidere
The Committee of the Whole model
Boone County uses a Committee of the Whole (COTW) structure in which the entire legislative body sits as one large committee for discussion and debate. All members of the County Board are members of each COTW. The county has two standing COTWs; their meeting schedules are not published on the website.
Current members
Source: Boone County website (roster page); no district-level chair or officer roles published.
Note: The county website lists a Vice-Chairman (Rodney Riley) but does not identify the Board Chairman. The August 20, 2026 meeting record contained no member attendance roster.
| Name | District | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Schneider | 1 | December 2028 |
| Dave Cordray | 1 | December 2026 |
| Josh Shumaker | 1 | December 2028 |
| Dave Wiltse | 1 | December 2026 |
| Karl Johnson | 2 | December 2026 |
| Tom Walberg | 2 | December 2028 |
| Ryan Curry | 2 | December 2028 |
| Alisa Patterson | 2 | December 2026 |
| Marion Thornberry | 3 | December 2028 |
| Matthew Ragano | 3 | December 2028 |
| Rodney Riley (Vice-Chairman) | 3 | December 2026 |
| Dana Logsdon | 3 | December 2026 |
Standing committees (COTWs)
- COTW – Administrative & Legislative: Purpose per county code: considers rules revision, committee structure, appointment of committees/boards/commissions, and general legislative matters. Meeting cadence not published.
- COTW – Finance, Taxation & Salaries: Purpose per county code: prepares tentative and final budget and appropriation ordinances; establishes tax levy; supervises county finances, purchases, and expenditures. Meeting cadence not published.
Boards, commissions, and committees
All appointed by the County Board. Agendas and minutes for these bodies are published on the county’s BoardDocs system.
Boone County Regional Planning Commission
- Purpose: Advises on planning and zoning; reviews comprehensive plan matters
- Membership: Phil Newhouse (Chairman), Johnathan Giesecke, Andrew Mertzenich, David Rickabaugh
- Cadence: Not published
Zoning Board of Appeals
- Purpose: Hears appeals and variance requests under the county’s zoning code
- Membership: Rick Schultz (Chairman), Carl Rudy (Vice Chairman), Craig Hale, Nate Sroka, Cory Javurek, Michelle Marella (1st Alternate), Matt Ellingson (2nd Alternate)
- Cadence: Not published
Agricultural Conservation Easement & Farmland Protection Commission
- Purpose: Reviews farmland conservation easements and protection measures
- Membership: Cody Book (Chair, Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau), Johnathon Giesecke (Regional Planning Commission), Brian Schneider (County Board), Josh Sage (Boone County Conservation District), Heather Vantilburg (Boone County Soil and Water), Jane Zeien (Pomona Grange), Dave Balzer (member at large)
- Cadence: Not published
Board of Health
- Purpose: Governs Health Department operations including budget, policy, and procedures; membership prescribed by Illinois statute to include two physicians, a dentist, a county board representative, and community members
- Membership (11 members, 3-year terms expiring July 1): Jen Jacky (President, 2027), Lee Revels (Vice President, 2028), Barbara Thrun (Treasurer, 2027), Kim Coniglio (Secretary, 2027), Dr. Srivani Sridhar, MD (Medical Director, 2029), Tara Branom (2029), Megan Johnson (2028), Rev. Muriel Morley Jahn (2028), Dr. Matthew Smetana, DO (2028), Dr. Tiffany Bohlmann, DVM (2029), June Lallas, DDS (2028), Dr. Amber Jokers, DVM (2029), Ryan Curry (County Board Representative, term expires December 1, 2026)
- Meeting schedule: Third Tuesday (bimonthly), 12:00 noon, Boone County Health Department, 1204 Logan Avenue, Belvidere
- Fiscal year: Meetings follow a published FY 2026 and FY 2027 schedule
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
- Purpose: Not published on website
- Membership: Not published
- Cadence: Not published
Veteran’s Assistance Commission
- Purpose: Not published on website
- Membership: Not published
- Cadence: Not published
The conservation districts
Boone County Conservation District
The Boone County Conservation District is a separate governmental body governed by an independently elected Board of Trustees. It owns and manages conservation areas, nature centers, and Illinois Nature Preserves within the county.
- Governance: Elected Board of Trustees
- Board membership: Not published on the BCCD website
- Meeting schedule: Third Tuesday of every month, 4:00 PM, Roger D. Gustafson Nature Center
- Website: bccdil.org
- Contact: [email protected]
Agendas and minutes are published on the district’s website. The Board’s 2026 meetings through August 18 have been held; September 15 is the next scheduled date.
Boone County Soil & Water Conservation District
The Boone County Soil & Water Conservation District is a separate governmental body that partners with landowners and the community on conservation stewardship, including cost-share programs for conservation practices.
- Governance: Elected board
- Board membership: Not published on website
- Meeting schedule: Listed as “Next Board Meeting 09/02/26 @ 8 AM” on the website; regular cadence not specified
- Website: boonecountyswcd.org
- Contact: [email protected]
The district publishes a newsletter and board meeting agendas.
Departments
The county operates through the following departments. Elected officials are noted; appointed department heads are not published on the website.
- 17th Judicial Circuit Court – Shared with Winnebago County; hears all case types
- Administration – Coordinates budget, finance, human resources, purchasing, IT
- Animal Services – State-certified animal control; funded through vaccination registration
- Assessment Office – Oversees property assessments, exemptions, and ownership records
- Building & Zoning – Enforces building and zoning codes; issues permits and conducts inspections
- Clerk & Recorder – Amy E. Ohlsen, elected Clerk & Recorder; processes legal documents, birth/death/marriage certificates; conducts elections; maintains land records
- Clerk of the Circuit Court – Maintains court case records; collects fines and fees; summons jurors
- Coroner – Name not published; investigates deaths per statute; law enforcement agency
- Corrections & County Jail – Under authority of the Sheriff; custody and sentencing facility
- Emergency Management – Planning, training, mitigation, and disaster response coordination
- Geographic Information Systems & Maps – Maintains county maps and GIS databases; property data website
- Health Department – Public health services, clinics, environmental health
- Highway Department – Inspects and maintains county highways and bridges; issues permits; designs projects
- Planning Department – Administers comprehensive plan, zoning code, and subdivision code; processes special uses, rezonings, variances
- Probation – Operates under the Chief Judge; administers community supervision for offenders
- Public Defender – Name not published; represents indigent criminal defendants and parties in certain juvenile/abuse-neglect cases
- Sheriff’s Office – Name not published, elected Sheriff; law enforcement in unincorporated areas; constitutional and statutory duties
- State’s Attorney – Name not published, elected State’s Attorney; prosecutes violations of Illinois criminal statutes
- Storm Water and Pollution Control – Addresses storm water pollution controls for Belvidere-Boone County
- Treasurer – Name not published, elected Treasurer; receives and deposits county revenues; mails and collects property tax; collects 1% food and beverage tax
Key elected and appointed officials
| Office | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| County Clerk & Recorder | Amy E. Ohlsen | Elected; clerk of the County Board; chief election officer; keeper of vital records and land records; office at 1212 Logan Ave Suite 103, Belvidere |
| Sheriff | Not published | Elected; constitutional office; enforces laws in unincorporated areas |
| State’s Attorney | Not published | Elected; prosecutes crimes in Boone County |
| Coroner | Not published | Elected; investigates deaths |
| Treasurer | Not published | Elected; receives revenues, collects property tax |
| Circuit Clerk | Not published | Elected; maintains court records |
| County Board Chairman | Not published | Elected by the County Board |
| County Board Vice-Chairman | Rodney Riley | Elected by the County Board |
Meeting cadence at a glance
| Body | Day / Time / Location |
|---|---|
| County Board | Not published; Aug 2026 meeting was 6:30 PM, 1212 Logan Ave County Board Room |
| COTW – Administrative & Legislative | Not published |
| COTW – Finance, Taxation & Salaries | Not published |
| Regional Planning Commission | Not published; agendas on BoardDocs |
| Zoning Board of Appeals | Not published; agendas on BoardDocs |
| Agricultural Conservation Easement & Farmland Protection Commission | Not published; agendas on BoardDocs |
| Board of Health | Bimonthly, 3rd Tuesday, 12:00 noon, 1204 Logan Ave (Health Dept) |
| Local Emergency Planning Committee | Not published |
| Veteran’s Assistance Commission | Not published |
| Boone County Conservation District Board | 3rd Tuesday, 4:00 PM, Roger D. Gustafson Nature Center |
| Boone County Soil & Water Conservation District Board | Next meeting 9/2/26 at 8 AM; regular cadence not specified |
Where to find more
- Boone County official website: boonecountyil.gov
- BoardDocs (County Board, COTWs, and appointed boards/commissions): Accessible via boonecountyil.gov
- Boone County Conservation District: bccdil.org
- Boone County Soil & Water Conservation District: boonecountyswcd.org
- Illinois Counties Code (55 ILCS 5): Statutory framework for county government powers and organization