Boone County Conservation District
Apr 21, 2026
The lede
- Board approved sending an Intergovernmental Agreement to the Village of Poplar Grove for temporary construction access to replace Bridge #9 on the Long Prairie Trail
- Board authorized hiring Guyer & Eichen Law Firm to represent the District in Ordinance 91 violation cases at $165/hour billed in six-minute increments
- District secured $2.9 million in state and federal funding for a $3 million bridge replacement project (IDOT $2.7M, Transportation Alternatives Program $203K), with construction expected in 2027-2028
- Executive Director presented plans for a $2 million Administration/Nature Center expansion project, seeking $600K from OSLAD grants and $1.2M from District funds
Decisions & votes
October 21, 2025 Executive Session Minutes - Motion to open the executive session minutes. Approved unanimously (Williams, Hall, Turbyville, Thomas all aye).
March 18, 2026 Minutes Amendment - Motion to amend and approve March 18, 2026 minutes correcting the adjournment vote to show Bob Phelps (not Lisa Turbyville) as seconding. Approved unanimously (Turbyville, Williams, Hall, Thomas all aye).
Poplar Grove IGA Authorization - Motion to authorize Executive Director Sage to send the Intergovernmental Agreement to the Village of Poplar Grove for their review regarding temporary construction easement (approximately 300 ft x 30 ft) for Bridge #9 replacement. Approved unanimously (Hall, Turbyville, Williams, Thomas all aye).
Legal Representation for Ordinance 91 Violations - Motion to accept proposal from Guyer & Eichen Law Firm to represent the District in Ordinance 91 violation cases. Attorney James Hursh to bill at $165/hour in six-minute increments with no travel time charges, representing both the District and Belvidere Park District once monthly. Approved unanimously (Hall, Williams, Turbyville, Thomas all aye).
Accounts Payable - Motion to pay expenses due through April 21, 2026. Approved unanimously (Williams, Hall, Turbyville, Thomas all aye).
Adjournment - Motion to adjourn at 4:39 p.m. Approved unanimously (Hall, Turbyville, Williams, Thomas all aye).
Discussion items
Long Prairie Trail Bridge Replacement Project - Executive Director Sage detailed that the District received $203,000 from the Transportation Alternatives Program covering 80% of construction engineering and construction costs. Total project cost is $3 million with funding breakdown: IDOT $2.7 million, Transportation Alternatives Program $203,000, and District responsibility of $96,923. Construction expected in 2027-2028. Bridge #9 replacement requires temporary construction easement from Village of Poplar Grove due to trail narrowing.
Administration/Nature Center Expansion - Executive Director Sage and Mark Freedlund met with Studio GWA for initial onsite visit and observations. Second meeting held via Zoom with Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to discuss fundable project parameters. Executive Director proposed pursuing $600,000 from OSLAD (Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development) grant program for a $2 million project. Noted that PARC funding may be available for State fiscal year 2027 (beginning July 1), which hasn’t been available since 2023. In 2023, PARC funded projects up to $2.8 million covering up to 75% of project costs. Proposed funding structure: $600K OSLAD, $1.2M District funds (largely available from restricted funds), $200K from donations and reserves. No motion was made; board provided guidance only.
Legal Representation Arrangement - Executive Director Sage met with Belvidere Park District Executive Director and Attorney James Hursh to discuss shared legal representation for both agencies. Attorney would represent both agencies once monthly, with District billed only for citations issued on its behalf. Attorney Loos clarified that District staff would be present under certain circumstances.
Financial / operational notes
Financial Reports - March 2026 financial reports placed on file subject to audit.
Summer Camp Enrollment - Mark Freedlund reported summer camp program enrollment continues with only four openings remaining.
Arbor Day Presentation - Frank Rabbit invited Board to Ben Davies’s Arbor Day presentation on Restoring Oak Ecosystems.
Prescribed Burns - Trustee Ken Hall commended Frank Rabbit and Hunter Cejka on their cooperation in completing prescribed burns.
Migratory Bird Data - Trustee Hall shared data from cornelluniversitybirdcast.com reporting 1.7 million tagged migratory birds crossed Boone County on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Attendance - Board member Bob Phelps was absent. Present: Lisa Turbyville, Ken Hall, Meredith Williams, George Thomas, Josh Sage, Frank Rabbit, Hunter Cejka, Elle Maculan, Deli Zavala, and Attorney Deb Loos.