Committee of the Whole Meeting - Administration
May 7, 2026
The lede
- Solar farm on Cemetery Road (SUP-05-2026) failed 6-3 after public opposition citing prime farmland concerns, stray voltage risks, and soil contamination; will go to full County Board
- Huber Road event venue (SUP-04-2026) failed 6-1 (one abstention) amid neighbor complaints about noise, parking, and past violations; applicant offered concessions but concerns remained about 52 annual events
- County forced to update solar/wind/energy storage ordinances by June 1 due to state mandate; board expressed frustration at lack of local control over siting decisions
- Sheriff’s office swore in new community outreach officer; two deputies graduated academy; fatality accidents continue at high rates
- Courthouse renovations approved via change order ($24,032); multiple departments operating in temporary spaces
Attendance & housekeeping
Present: Marian Thornberry, Matt Reggano, Rodney Riley, Lisa Patterson, Tom Wahberg (arrived 6:13 PM), Ryan Schneider, Dave Cordray, Josh Shoemaker, Carl Johnson
Absent: Don Wilty (attempted remote attendance but did not connect), Curry (noted absent), Dana Lockson
Meeting called to order at 6:12 PM by Chair Erin Marshall. Agenda and minutes (September 4, 2025 COTW-Admin and September 11, 2025 COTW-Finance) approved unanimously.
Decisions & votes
Claims approved ($728,738.74) — Roll call vote; carried with Marshall abstaining (claim from employer Corin & Main) and Carl Johnson abstaining per standard recusal
No notable discussion
Courthouse Change Order #22 approved ($24,032.29) — Roll call vote; passed unanimously
Change order covers Circuit Clerk office painting, digital recording room electrical/HVAC work, and corridor updates. Architect Randy Darnell testified that state reimbursement expected on electrical work; actual county cost estimated at ~$15,000. Approved to avoid schedule delays.
SUP-05-2026 (Cemetery Road Solar) failed 6-3 — Roll call vote: Yes (Wahberg, Johnson, Shoemaker); No (Thornberry, Reggano, Riley, Patterson, Cordray, Schneider)
Nexamp’s 4.95-megawatt solar project on 40 acres of prime farmland. ZBA recommended approval 3-2. Opposition focused on: prime farmland loss (LE score 85.3), past lawsuit costing county $25,000+, Better Business Bureau complaints about Nexamp billing, lack of local control. Wahberg criticized state mandates forcing approval despite local opposition. Nexamp revised setbacks and reduced pole count but concerns remained about soil contamination, maintenance responsiveness on existing projects, and future decommissioning. Advances to County Board for final vote May 21.
SUP-04-2026 (Huber Road Assembly) failed 6-1, one abstention — Roll call vote: Yes (Johnson, Shoemaker); No (Reggano, Riley, Patterson, Wahberg, Cordray, Schneider); Abstain (Thornberry—stated confusion about issues)
Applicant Elvia Soriano sought permit for 100-person event venue (weddings, quinceañeras, family gatherings). ZBA voted 0-5 against. Neighbor Michael Fitter testified to noise at 11:58 PM, cars blocking driveway, beer bottles on property, livestock disturbances. Applicant offered: music indoors only, soundproofing, 11 PM cutoff, traffic control, Saturday-only operations. Marshall floated compromise of 20 events/year max (not more than 2/month). Concerns raised: applicant continued events after cease-and-desist letter, two prior police citations, past events exceeded 100 people, insufficient enforcement mechanisms, A-1 zoning precedent. Applicant stated willingness to limit to May–October, use caterers, hire local teens. Advances to County Board for final vote May 21.
Solar/Wind/ESS ordinance update advanced — Voice vote; passed
County must update zoning code by June 1, 2026, per state statute to add Energy Storage Systems as special use in Ag/Industrial zones and revise solar/wind standards. States Attorney Mayville confirmed failure to comply means state statute governs exclusively and county would lose lawsuits, paying prevailing party attorney fees. Board expressed frustration at mandated approval process with no local discretion. Will be on County Board agenda.
Discussion items (no vote)
Orth/Calonia intersection rumble strips: Three residents (Brent Mueller, Barren Carlson, Kevin Yap, Steve Higgins) complained about 24/7 noise from rumble strips installed with new four-way stop. Residents support stop signs but request strips be filled/removed. Highway Engineer Justin Cone not present; residents reported he mentioned filling strips as potential mitigation. No board action taken.
State mandate frustration: Marshall and Wahberg criticized state legislature (Gov. Pritzker, Democratic majority) for requiring counties to approve renewable energy projects meeting statutory criteria while creating “circus” of public hearings that give false impression of local control. Discussed meeting with Rep. Vela to propose: using comprehensive plans for siting decisions, restoring 1.5-mile municipal jurisdiction, and recognizing 3D water mapping investments as exclusion criteria.
Sheriff staffing: Two patrol deputies graduated academy (begin 18-week FTO); corrections hiring four officers (two start Monday); K-9 Zoro retired due to health issues; dispatchers fully staffed. Nine traffic fatalities in 2025, six in 2026 YTD. Deputies Zavala and Shaki completing ~400 hours accident reconstruction training.
Public comment
Brent Mueller (10636 Orth Road): Requested moratorium on solar farms; cited aging utility infrastructure (poles from 1920s), stray ground currents harming livestock, soil degradation after 20 years under panels.
Barren Carlson, Kevin Yap, Steve Higgins (Orth/Calonia residents): Complained rumble strips create excessive noise (3 sets each direction = 900+ daily “hits”); requested removal or filling. Yap noted he cooperated with intersection improvements but wasn’t informed about strips.
Randy Watson (9780 Edson Road, Capron): Opposed Cemetery Road solar; cited prime farmland loss, low capacity factor (11–12%), potato industry refusing to farm post-solar land due to contamination risk.
Maryanne McKenna Moon (16340 Milro Road): Family owns adjacent farmland to Cemetery Road site; opposed permit citing: prime farmland (LE 85.3), conflict with Comprehensive Plan Objective 3.7, customer complaints about Nexamp billing, water/soil contamination risks (cited EPA settlement for Clean Water Act violations at other solar sites), requested pre/during/post-construction testing. Over 35 neighbors objected via 2022 petition; asked audience in opposition to stand (many did).
Michael Fitter (422 Huber Road): Lives 30 feet from proposed Huber Road venue; not notified of SUP application. Complained: cars blocking driveway, guests trespassing, beer bottles on property, noise until 2 AM, fireworks spooking livestock, daughter’s birthday party ruined by event noise. Documented 1 event (2021), 3 (2023), 6 (2024), 17 (2025). Played audio recordings from June and September.
Notable moments
“You people”: During Huber Road debate, applicant Elvia Soriano stated a ZBA member said “you people,” which she interpreted as ethnic targeting, calling it “wrong.”
Heated exchange—Marshall vs. Attorney Barber: Marshall repeatedly challenged applicant’s attorney about distinguishing between permitted family gatherings and commercial events when calculating neighborhood impact; Barber accused Marshall of “arbitrary and capricious” logic and “logical fallacy.”
Thornberry’s confusion: Abstained on Huber Road vote, stating “you confused the issue way too much… you had me confused. I didn’t even know what you was talking about.”
Wahberg’s direct question to solar applicant: “What do we got to do to get you guys to pick your toys up and go play in somebody else’s sandbox?”
Marshall’s frustrated monologue: Delivered extended statement that ZBA process is a “charade” and “circus” since state law mandates approval; apologized to solar applicants for wasting their time and citizens’ time; expressed anger at Springfield, not applicants.
States Attorney’s stark warning: When asked about not adopting ESS ordinance: “They will sue us and we will lose and we will have to pay their attorney’s fees and our attorney’s fees.”
Applicant sincerity moment: Soriano near tears explaining family gatherings vs. events, feeling recorded constantly, wanting to provide teen jobs; offered to operate May–October only to respect neighbors.
Reggano’s pointed question: Asked applicant about liquor licensing multiple times based on his 25 years bartending experience, noting gray areas and liability.