Committee of the Whole Meeting - Administration
Sep 3, 2026
The lede
- Approved FY2027 budgets for Animal Services, GIS, Highway, and Health Department; no property tax funding for Animal Services (funded through fees/donations)
- Approved special use permit for seasonal H-2A agricultural worker housing (up to 10 workers, March-May) at 11635 Wange Road for tree nursery operation
- Approved bridge funding agreements: 100% state-funded bundle for 7 bridges ($15-20M project) and professional services agreement for Piscasaw Bridge design ($592K, fully grant-funded)
- Approved interim public defender salary and liquor license for High Rollers Bar & Slots; extended memorandum of agreement with Rosecrance for addiction counselor (now 20% locally funded, 80% grant-funded for sustainability)
- Highway Department requesting modest levy increases for bridge and matching funds; Animal Services facing tripled veterinary costs but offsetting through rescue partnerships and donations
Attendance & housekeeping
Present: Carl Johnson (Chair), Josh Shoemaker, David Cordray, Brian Schneider, Ryan Curry, Tom Wahberg, Rodney Riley (remote), Pat Reagan, Marian Thornberry
Absent: Lisa Patterson, Anna Logan
Arrived late (6:48 PM): Dave Wiltie
Motion approved to allow Riley to participate electronically. Agenda and August 6, 2026 minutes approved without discussion.
Decisions & votes (each with vote count and notable discussion or dissent)
Resolution 26-25 (Paratransit vehicle grant application): Approved unanimously by voice vote. Allows county to apply for IDOT capital assistance grant for paratransit vehicle replacement. Part of consolidated vehicle purchase program.
Resolution 26-27 (Interim Public Defender salary): Approved unanimously by voice vote. Establishes salary for Christopher Solder as interim public defender (same rate as predecessor Kate Cross, now associate judge) to maintain state reimbursement eligibility. Position will be filled permanently through 17th Circuit judicial selection process with applications closing end of September.
Intergovernmental Agreement for bridge bundle: Approved unanimously by voice vote, contingent on State’s Attorney approval. Seven bridges total (one Boone County, three Boone Township, three McHenry County) with 100% state funding for construction ($15-20M estimated). County was first in state to participate in bundling program; state will manage bidding and construction.
Professional Services Agreement for Piscasaw Bridge Bundle: Approved unanimously by voice vote. $592,000 for phase 1 and 2 design work on three bridges (Squapuri, Moringo, Lawrenville over Piscasaw). 100% federally funded but reimbursable grant requiring county to front costs. Boone Township structures; 2-3 year process anticipated.
Special Use Permit SUP-08-2026 (11635 Wange Road): Approved by voice vote (appeared unanimous). Allows seasonal H-2A agricultural worker housing for tree nursery operation. Up to 10 workers for 3-month period (March-May). Applicant (Goodmark Nursery) converting existing office building. Zoning Board of Appeals recommended approval 5-0 with 11 conditions including contact on-property every 24 hours and refuse limitations. Public concerns raised about property values, water table impact, and preference for local workers. Applicant explained H-2A program requirements, background checks, inspections, and that local hiring is always attempted first.
Liquor License - High Rollers Bar & Slots LLC: Presented for information; no vote taken (will vote at full board meeting). Jeff Robertson applying; currently gaming manager at Levo Bar, taking over High Rollers location that has been empty 1.5 years. Meets 100-foot distance requirement from children’s area.
Claims approval ($744,762.73): Roll call vote, all present voted yes except Carl Johnson who abstained per standard conflict protocol on highway/utility-related claims. Motion carried.
Rosecrance Memorandum of Agreement (addiction counselor): Approved unanimously by voice vote. Continuing community counselor position serving jail and community; now 20% funded by Rosecrance (billable services model) and 80% grant-funded, moving toward long-term sustainability. Previously 100% grant-funded.
FY2027 Budget Presentations (Animal Services, GIS, Highway, Health Department): Presented for information only; no votes taken. Budgets will be voted on later in budget cycle.
Discussion items (no vote)
Data center clarification (Chairman’s statement): Chairman Johnson clarified that despite news reports suggesting county involvement with data center discussions, the county has had no contact with data center developers and none planned. Any data center discussions involved municipalities (Belvidere, Capron, Poplar Grove, Loves Park, Cherry Valley). Once property is annexed into a municipality, county loses all jurisdictional control.
Animal Services FY2027 Budget highlights:
- Four funds: property maintenance (Fund 11), operations (Fund 12), spay/neuter (Fund 100), donations (Fund 120)
- NOT funded by property tax; operates on registration fees, fines, adoptions
- Only health insurance subsidized by county
- Veterinary costs have “tripled” since State Street Veterinary became corporate; monthly vet administrator reduced from $2,400 to $1,500
- Now transferring animals to 501(c)3 rescues before spaying/neutering to avoid high costs
- Successfully moved “Hammer Time” dogs and 45 oriental shorthair cats through rescue network
- Donations nearly $24,000 year-to-date (including $4,500 from Petals & Paws event)
- New low-cost clinic partnership with Snips Society (Joliet) for basic services
- Food 100% donated by community; no county funds spent on food
- Municipal service agreements signed with Poplar Grove and Caledonia; working on Cherry Valley and Timberlane; Belvidere still discussing
- Seal coating and parking lot striping completed
GIS FY2027 Budget highlights:
- Revenue ($163K) does not cover expenditures ($237K); drawing down fund balance of ~$300K
- $18 GIS fee hasn’t changed since ~2006-2008; first fee study in 20 years underway through County Clerk consultant
- Requesting $15,000 toward new environmental specialist position (shared with Planning)
- Requesting $4,000 for summer intern
- Dan Kaine (water resource specialist) expected to leave by end of 2026
Highway Department FY2027 Budget highlights:
- Four funds: highway (operations/wages), bridge (shared with townships), matching (grants/capital), motor fuel tax (gas tax, based on registered vehicles)
- Motor fuel tax revenue increased from $600K (10 years ago) to $1.7M due to gas tax increases
- Three of five maintenance workers graduating from probationary period to full wages
- Union contract (3.4% increase) expires; negotiations begin next year
- Major projects: Woodstock Road Bridge (80% grant, $400K county match), Popular Grove Road, Hunter Road widening (may push to 2028), Angling Road resurfacing (timing depends on bridge bundle construction)
- Equipment purchases: truck chassis with liebottom (~$170K), heavy-duty chipper dump truck ($115K), light-duty truck, tilt bed trailer
- Bridge bundling: County was first in state to participate; now serving as model
- Intern program continuing; willing to share with other departments
Health Department FY2027 Budget highlights:
- Balanced budget just under $3M
- Only 12% funded by local levy (down from 26% a decade ago)
- 47% grant-funded, 26% fee-funded, rest from other sources
- Requesting $40,000 levy increase (may be reduced if medical refrigerators can be covered by infrastructure grant)
- Environmental fee increases (approved spring 2026) going well; public feedback “amicable”
- Mobile health unit: reassessing operations after 4 years; reducing some services, eliminating winter operations due to cold, shifting some evening/weekend clinics to new brick-and-mortar building
- School physicals program not growing (30-40 annually) due to Affordable Care Act coverage through primary care providers
- Levy increase to fund medical refrigerators, environmental/communicable disease program equipment (least-funded state-mandated programs)
- Rose Crance addiction counselor position now 20/80 split (previously 100% grant) moving toward sustainability
- Law enforcement position successfully transitioned to Sheriff’s Department
Landfill gas mitigation system: Needs maintenance after 5 years; system tripping frequently (now daily). Helm Electric estimate ~$10,000. Funds available in landfill fund. System prevents gas migration to IDOT building.
Public comment
Deba Peekenpaw (11607 Wange Road, Capron): Testified in opposition to Special Use Permit SUP-08-2026. Property (11635 Wange Road) surrounds her 23-acre home. Concerns: (1) Why not hire local workers instead of subsidizing international travel and temporary housing? (2) What assurance against future development (additional housing, solar, wells affecting water table)? (3) How will it impact agricultural property values? Stated this converts farm to residential use in agricultural area.
Notable moments (anything colorful, tense, or unusual)
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Chairman’s emphatic clarification on data center: Strong pushback against news media reports implying county was “misleading” about data center involvement. Made clear county has “no control” over annexed municipal land.
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Animal Services Director Kelly Jesy’s passion: When asked about her rescue work, she responded “It’s just passion” after explaining how she saved the county from “horrendous” veterinary bills by transferring 45 oriental shorthair cats and all Hammer Time dogs to rescue organizations.
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Riley joining remotely gets ribbed: After approving Riley’s remote participation, multiple jokes throughout meeting about seeing him at various points, with general good-natured banter.
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iPad struggles: Committee member Ryan Curry apologized at start for being “a little slow” because he forgot his laptop and was using his four-year-old’s iPad.
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Highway Engineer Justin’s self-deprecation: When asked about naming the bridge bundle program after him, joked about “50 years of seat warming” for his successors since all major bridges will be less than 20 years old.
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Spotlight jokes: When GIS/Planning staff Tammy came forward, multiple jokes about the “shiny” spotlight being on her and her head getting warm, with her responding she “wanted that spotlight.”
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Intern appreciation across departments: Multiple departments (GIS, Highway, Animal Services) praised intern program; Highway offered to share interns with other departments and mentioned Growth Dimensions interest in connecting students to professional fields.
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Three million dollar budget request joke: GIS Director Tammy joked she was requesting “$3 million” or “free money” before clarifying she only wanted $4,000 for an intern.
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“Watch their receipts”: When announcing UCCI trip to Washington DC (Carl Johnson, Tom Wahberg, Rodney Riley), Chairman joked to “watch their receipts.”