[0:00] 2026.
Tonight we have an invocation and pledge
[0:05] of allegiance by board member Dr.
Michael Tam Thompson. Please stand.
[0:14] God of all nations, father of the human
family, we lift up all our elected
[0:20] leaders and public servants and all
levels of government, including those in
[0:24] the military and law enforcement.
Help us to heal from our differences and
[0:30] unite us, oh Lord, with a common
purpose, dedication, and commitment to
[0:35] achieve liberty and justice in the years
ahead for everyone,
[0:39] especially those who are most vulnerable
in our midst. In your name we pray.
[0:45] Amen.
>> Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of
[0:49] the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
[0:55] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
[1:04] » Thank you, Dr. Thompson.
[1:09] » Mr. Thompson, are there any agenda
announcements this evening?
[1:12] » Uh, Mr. Chairman, there are no
announcements. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:17] Clerk Amau, can you please call the
role?
[1:19] » Certainly. Thank you, Chairman. We will
start with Mr. McCarthy.
[1:24] » Mr. McDonald,
>> Mr. Neighbors,
[1:29] » Mr. Penny,
>> Mr. Scroll,
[1:34] » Mr. Sweeney,
>> Mr. Tone,
[1:38] » Dr. Michael Thompson,
>> Mr. Mr. Ray Thompson,
[1:45] » Miss Valdez,
[1:49] » Mr. Webster,
>> Mr. Arena,
[1:53] » Mr. Booker,
>> Mr. But
[1:58] » Mr. Da Trinidad,
Ms. Fellers,
[2:05] Mrs. Gorl,
>> Miss Hansert,
[2:08] » here,
>> Mr. Hoffman,
[2:11] » Mr. Lindmark
>> chairman. 17 board members present,
[2:17] three board members absent.
>> Very good. We do have a quorum this
[2:22] evening.
Next, I'm going to read a statement here
[2:25] because we do have some public
participation this evening. Comments
[2:28] shall be limited to three minutes.
Speakers may not address zoning matters
[2:32] which are pending before the ZBA zoning
committee or the county board. Personnel
[2:38] matters or pending or threatened
litigation may not be addressed in open
[2:42] session. An individual may speak a
maximum of three times per calendar year
[2:47] on the same topic. This prohibition
shall include the repetition of the same
[2:52] topic in a statement on what is
purported to be a different topic.
[2:56] Personal attacks or inappropriate
language of any sort will not be
[3:00] tolerated. And tonight we have Mr. John
Tac Brantley. If you want to come
[3:05] forward, please
[3:17] want to say uh good evening to
everybody. I haven't seen you since uh
[3:20] uh last year. Uh what will we learn
about uh uh uh who is Dr. King? Tell
[3:26] them who Dr. King is.
>> Who is Dr. King?
[3:30] » Our Santa Claus.
>> Who's Dr. King?
[3:32] » Our Santa Claus. Okay. Um, I want to
talk to you about uh expanding my uh uh
[3:38] program, but for those that don't know
what my program is about, I work with
[3:42] youth. I've been working with them for
over 20 years. And I want to target more
[3:45] of our youth that's locked up in uh
detention and juvenile detention. I
[3:51] can't do that alone. And now I have a
building and and by me having a
[3:54] building, I'm able to have a staff. So,
I need to have a meeting with the
[3:58] chairman to find out what steps we need
to take in order to get to Winnebago
[4:03] County Board and also to be able to work
with our atrisisk youth. We can talk
[4:08] about what the city is doing and what
the city is not doing, but what are we
[4:12] doing? And I take a speech out of um uh
um John F. Kennedy. John F. Kennedy
[4:17] said, "Don't ask what your country can
do for you, but what can you do for your
[4:21] country?" I said don't ask what y'all
can do for us but what we can do for our
[4:25] future generation. So just to tell you
who who we are we we are a mission
[4:30] statement renewal turning point is a
catalyst for change within the city of
[4:34] Rockford. We seek to mobilize the
community to address common obstacles
[4:39] that affect the city lower income youth
population and to build a positive
[4:43] future in and around our community for
all youth. In 2010, we began taking
[4:49] youth to local events to give them
exposure to activities that happen
[4:54] outside of their neighborhood, offering
them a new look at what life possibility
[4:59] could be. My vision is to show the youth
that there are people who care about
[5:04] them and their future, and that there's
a tremendous opportunity in the city of
[5:08] Rockford as long as we take advantage of
the resources that are available.
[5:12] Changes is never easy, but yet wonderful
things can happen when we all open to
[5:18] change. Life is changed and I want to
help others adjust to positive change. I
[5:22] want to help free Rockford from racism,
poverty, and violence. I want to see a
[5:27] thriving community where all peoples
have equal opportunity and feel safe in
[5:31] their neighborhoods and the surrounding
areas. We took the kids to the Harlem
[5:35] Gold Trappers game on the 29th. 30 of
our kids was able to take pictures and
[5:40] get autographs and signatures. The
tickets cost $70, but we was able to get
[5:45] them for $35. Our next event is taking
them to GSN on ice. I got a threeminute
[5:51] uh uh fame a shame fame. The Harlem Gold
Travis was captain on the team. I was at
[5:56] the top of the steps getting ready to go
out to give me something to eat and all
[5:59] of a sudden somebody tapped me on my
shoulder. I turned around and looked and
[6:03] here's somebody 7 foot 6' n looking down
at me. He said, "Where you going?" I
[6:08] said, "I'm going to get something to
eat." He said, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no,
[6:11] no. You can't get up in church when the
preacher is preaching and you see me out
[6:15] here. We trying to win this game for
y'all and you interrupting my game." He
[6:19] said, "No, no, no. You got to go sit
down." So, when I went to go sit down,
[6:21] he said, "Who is this?" Your family was
4,000 peoples there. I brought 72 people
[6:26] to the game. I'm getting ready to end it
real quick. And so, he said, "Who is
[6:29] this?" I said, "Renew Turning Point
program." And then then I said, he said,
[6:34] "Who is you?" I said, "Brother John." He
said, "Everybody in the audience." and
[6:38] he put the picture up there and on the
screen he said everybody welcome Renewal
[6:42] Turning Point and the Holland uh and
brother John to the Holland gold
[6:46] travelers 100year anniversary everybody
in the place start clapping for us that
[6:51] was a great moment for our kids in
history to be able to get recognized by
[6:56] the hot go thank you I know I went over
my three minutes but thank you for
[7:00] allowing me
>> and I and that's why I take kids where
[7:03] they never been before
>> thank you
[7:05] » come on y'all let's go
>> good Well, I do want to find working
[7:09] with the jur now.
>> All right. Next is the approval of
[7:13] minutes. Uh may I entertain a motion to
approve the November 25th, 2025 and
[7:20] layover the December 11th, 2025.
We have a motion by Mr. Lindmark, second
[7:25] by Mr. Hoffman. Is there any discussion
on either the approval or the layover?
[7:31] Hearing none. Are there any board
members opposed to either the approval
[7:35] or the layover of the minutes? Hearing
none, please cast yes for all members
[7:40] present.
Next is the consent agenda which
[7:44] includes the raffle report and the
auditor's report. May I entertain a
[7:49] motion, Mr. Booker. Motion second by Mr.
Dr. Michael Thompson. Is there any
[7:54] discussion on either the raffle report
or the auditor's report?
[7:59] Hearing none.
Any board members opposed? Very good.
[8:04] Please cast yes for all members present.
We have no appointments for this
[8:09] evening. Next is the reports of standing
committees which is the finance
[8:13] committee. Mr. But
[8:19] » thank you chairman.
Uh first of all, we have a ordinance for
[8:25] a budget amendment for emergency PSB
boiler replacement and I move to suspend
[8:31] rules.
>> We have a motion to suspend by Mr. But
[8:34] do we have a second? Second by Mr. Ray
Thompson. Are there any objections to
[8:39] the suspension of rules this evening for
this ordinance?
[8:44] Hearing none. Please cast yes for all
members present. The rules are
[8:46] suspended. Mr. Peta.
>> All right. I move for the bill to be
[8:49] considered in or the ordinance is. We
have a motion to approve by Mr. Buta, a
[8:53] second by Mr. Ray Thompson. Is there any
discussion on this ordinance?
[8:57] » Uh the uh the cost in the uh was
165,544.
[9:04] » Very good. Any further discussion?
Hearing none. Are there any board
[9:08] members opposed to this ordinance? Very
good. Please cast a yes for all members
[9:12] present. Mr. But
>> okay. We have an ordinance for a budget
[9:15] amendment for emergency JDC HVAC system
repairs and I move to suspend rules.
[9:23] » Motion to suspend by Mr. Puta, second by
Miss Hansert. Are there any objections
[9:27] to the suspension of rules this evening
for this ordinance? Hear none. There any
[9:34] objections? Very good. Please cast yes
for all members present.
[9:38] » I'll move for consideration of the bill.
Proceed a motions to approve. Second by
[9:43] Miss Hanser. Is there any discussion on
this ordinance?
[9:46] » The uh amount on this one is 74,422.
>> Very good. Any further discussion?
[9:54] Any board member opposition?
Very good. Please cast yes for all
[9:58] members present. Mr. Buta.
>> Okay. Uh next, um I didn't bring up my
[10:03] agenda, but we have eight the next eight
ordinances. What are those?
[10:08] » Three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
four through 11.
[10:12] » Okay. Four through 11. We're going to
group those all together. They're all
[10:16] ordinances to abate taxes for bond
purposes. Uh and I move for the
[10:21] suspension rules on all eight.
>> Okay. We have a motion to suspend for
[10:25] all eight by Mr. Putitas, second by Mr.
Ray Thompson, Miss Hanser. Are there any
[10:30] objection to the suspension of rules
this evening?
[10:35] » Mr. Ray Thompson and Miss Hanser.
>> Any objection?
[10:40] Hearing none, please cast yes for all
members present. The rules are
[10:43] suspended. Mr. Peta,
>> it's just a housekeeping. Annual
[10:46] housekeeping.
>> Very good. So, there's a motion to
[10:49] approve all eight. Is there a second,
Mr. Thompson or Miss Hanser? Okay. Very
[10:54] good. Any discussion on any of those
ordinances? Four through 11.
[11:00] Good. Any objection to any of those?
Very good. Please cast yes to all
[11:05] members present. Mr. But
>> uh next we have a Russ A resolution
[11:10] authorizing the settlement of a pending
litigation Javon Doward versus the
[11:15] Wnebago County Sheriff's Office and I so
move.
[11:19] » Moved by Mr. But we have a second by Mr.
Dela Trinidad. Any discussion, Mr. Buta?
[11:25] » Yeah. The amount of the settlement is
$500,000.
[11:29] » Board member discussion on this
resolution.
[11:32] Hear none. Are there any board members
opposed to this resolution?
[11:36] » Very good. Please cast yes for all
members present. Mr.
[11:39] Yeah, that's all we have this evening.
Thank you.
[11:41] » Very good. We have a zoning committee,
Mr. Webster.
[11:46] » Very good, Mr. Webster. Thank you.
Economic development committee, Mr.
[11:50] Sweeney.
[12:00] All right. Good evening everybody. The
Economic Development Committee has two
[12:04] items before you tonight. And the first
one is,
[12:10] let's see, resolution authorizing an
intergovernmental cooperation agreement
[12:15] among the county of Wnebago, the village
of New Milford, the Four River
[12:19] Sanitation Authority, and JMD Real
Estate Holdings LLC for extension of
[12:24] sewer line on Harrisville Road. And I
will move for its adoption. Move
[12:28] » by Mr. Sweeney, second by Mr. McCarthy.
Discussion, Mr. Sweeney.
[12:32] » Um, I'm willing to take any questions on
it. But I would just add that I would
[12:36] compliment you on your hard work with
all the economic development activity
[12:39] down in the southern region of this
county and that this this infrastructure
[12:42] investment that we're going to make um
along with the water investment that we
[12:48] made from the host fees last year is is
really going to be a tremendous thing
[12:52] for the future of economic activity down
there. So thanks for your hard work as
[12:57] well.
>> Board member discussion on this
[13:00] resolution
hear none. Are there any board members
[13:03] opposed to this resolution? Very good.
Please, Cassie. Yes, for all members
[13:07] present. Mr. Sweeney.
>> And the second item is the resolution
[13:13] granting $100,000 from host fees to the
Wel County Rail Authority to establish a
[13:19] dedicated site acquisition fund and
support regional economic growth. And I
[13:23] so move for its adoption.
>> Moved by Mr. Sweeney. We have a second
[13:26] by Mr. Dr. Michael Thompson. Discussion,
Mr. Sweeney.
[13:30] » Not for me at this time. Board member
discussion. Mr. Arita.
[13:35] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um,
I uh I support the concept behind this
[13:42] and you I think it's fantastic if we can
uh grow the uh economy, especially
[13:49] around the airport. Um my one concern
was uh getting some reporting on how the
[13:55] money gets used. Do I have an amendment
um to offer? Uh
[14:02] so I move that we include a sixth
whereas clause stating whereas in
[14:10] consideration of the county's host fees,
the WC shall provide an annual
[14:15] accounting in writing to the Winnebago
County Board. The accounting shall
[14:19] include the following details about the
expenditures. One, total dispersement
[14:24] amount. Two, recipient. three purpose
and four outcome.
[14:29] Then uh revise the now thereafter be it
resolved clause to read now thereafter
[14:35] be it resolved by the county board of
the county of Wnebago Illinois that the
[14:40] county of Wnebago Illinois will grant
$100,000
[14:43] from host fees to the Wnebago County
Rail Authority WC for a dedicated site
[14:48] acquisition fund and the host fee shall
be used in accordance with section 22.3
[14:53] of the statute. Then a new clause be
further resolved. In consideration of
[14:59] the county's host fees, the WC shall
provide an annual accounting in writing
[15:04] to the Winnebago County Board. The
accounting shall include the following
[15:08] details about the expenditures. One
total dispersement amount, two
[15:11] recipient, three purpose, and four
outcome. And I so move
[15:16] » by Mr. Arena to amend. Second by Mr.
Sweeney. Second. Mr. Sweeney seconds
[15:21] that motion. Mr. Arenita.
>> Thank you, Mr. chairman. So, I had
[15:27] worked with Miss Rutder on uh the
language here, but then as I sat here
[15:30] before this, um my my intent is that
they only account for the money we gave
[15:36] to them. And then once that money's
gone, this they they don't have to do
[15:42] anything as it's written. Is that
what this means? Or do I have to put
[15:48] something in there to specify that until
the money is exhausted or something?
[15:56] Thank you, chairman. Um, I'm not sure
how they do their accounting or if it's
[16:00] going to be separate from their other
funds. So,
[16:05] that may be a question for someone on
the rail authority. I'm just not sure
[16:10] because if we put um like add language
to say
[16:15] um about the expenditures used for used
from the county's host fees. I'm not
[16:21] sure if they would how they would
account for that. That's I guess my
[16:26] concern.
>> So, just leave it as it is.
[16:28] » Yes. And maybe we can explain to them
what we want from them,
[16:32] » right?
>> Regarding just our funds,
[16:35] » right? But yeah, I didn't mean because
it's a separate entity and we don't have
[16:40] oversight over it. It's just related to
the money we give to them. The money
[16:44] they get from other sources, it's
>> not our business to ask about, I think.
[16:52] Mr. Sweeney.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I just want
[16:56] to um I guess recognize the fact that
Mr. Castanza, Mr. Schlowski, two of our
[17:00] appointees are here in attendance from
the rail authority. Um as well as Mr.
[17:04] Michael Dunn Jr. from region one
planning and um just to remind the board
[17:09] that as far as oversight goes, you know,
this money is being oversaw by
[17:13] appointees nominated by yourself,
chairman Michelle, and confirmed by this
[17:17] board. So there is that mechanism of
intergovernmental cooperation and in
[17:21] that spirit I would think that this
amendment would be sufficient for
[17:25] everybody's concerns and support.
>> I concur. Mr. Webster.
[17:33] » Yeah. Thank you. Um
I think that anytime we're dealing with
[17:40] the monies that um we're spending to any
group really. I think that counting of
[17:49] the money that we have provided I don't
think that that's out of line to ask for
[17:56] an accounting of that. I think that
should be part and parcel of every uh
[18:02] deal we make when we're giving money.
I don't think that's out of line to ask
[18:08] for an accounting on an annual basis
across the board on everything we do.
[18:15] » Very good. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[18:17] » Any further discussion concerning this
resolutions the amendment?
[18:23] None. Are there any board members
opposed to the amendment?
[18:27] Very good. Please cast yes for all
members present. The resolution is
[18:31] amended.
>> I move for its final adoption.
[18:35] » We have a motion to move for this final
adoption by Miss Mr. Sweeney, second by
[18:40] Miss Hanser. Is there any discussion on
the final resolution?
[18:46] Hearing none. Are there any board
members opposed? Very good. Please cast
[18:49] yes for all members present. Mr.
Sweeney,
[18:52] » that does conclude our report. Um, I
guess while up here I would just ask
[18:56] along the lines of the question Mr.
Webster asked and I'm curious to Mr.
[18:59] Dornbush for the other entities that
have historically received host fee
[19:03] dollars, some going back years and
years, do does every entity give a
[19:08] financial accounting of the monies
received from the county,
[19:13] specifically the nonprofits?
>> Mr. Chairman,
[19:18] » please.
>> Thank you. Um, for some of the
[19:20] nonfor-profit uh host fee allocations
that we do, we do require that that they
[19:25] give us before they were to come back
that they give us an update on what they
[19:28] did before they could ask for further
funds. Um,
[19:33] depending on the project and so forth,
if it's a multi-year, they'll come in
[19:37] and give us reports on it. So, it's kind
of on a case-by case basis.
[19:42] » Okay. So that there's a there's a file
somewhere of
[19:46] financial reporting of every entity
listed on the host fee roster basically
[19:52] » as far as how they've used it. No,
>> an accounting of it.
[19:55] » No, but sometimes the agency will come
and give us updates at committee more of
[19:59] a verbal response than than an actual
like breakout of financials on it.
[20:04] » Okay. But just for the record, there are
some entities that have historically
[20:07] received monies that are not giving us
that accounting.
[20:10] » Yes.
>> Thank you. Okay. Thank you for the
[20:12] information. That concludes our report.
[20:20] » So, I've been told that the landfill
will be capped and closed in 10 years.
[20:29] » No, 10 10 years remaining. That's by the
EPA.
[20:35] Now, if they slow down the amount of
garbage going in there, it could extend
[20:40] and from the other things that we do
with composting and recycling, it could
[20:44] slow down, you know, that date. So, Mr.
Webster.
[21:16] somewhere where it should have gone
[21:22] to
what's happening in Minnesota right
[21:33] I don't want
some
[21:39] due diligence. Find out where
[21:50] » Thank you. Thank you. I also want to
thank Mr. Castanza, Mr. Shablasi, and
[21:55] Mr. Michael Dunn for your service for
the rail authority. It's been reinstated
[22:01] for many years ago. It was created by
the state of Illinois in the Rockford
[22:05] airport. And these are exciting times
for Winnebago County to be able to get
[22:11] private funding in the amount of
$250,000 from the charitable trust to
[22:17] the rail authority. That belief and that
board is strong. And now the county
[22:22] board allocating $100,000. These are
real deals and these are real
[22:27] opportunities to have government move
very quickly to respond to the needs of
[22:32] economic development. So I appreciate
all the work on this. Mr. Arena.
[22:45] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The operations
and administrative committee has two
[22:49] items tonight. Uh the first is a
resolution awarding purchase of one
[22:54] civil processing vehicle for the
Winnebago County Sheriff's Office using
[22:58] CIP 2026 funds. And I so move
>> moved by Mr. Arena. We have second by
[23:03] Mr. Lindmark. Discussion, Mr. Arena.
>> Uh just to add that this is a uh
[23:11] budget impact of $70,357.
>> Very good. Board member discussion on
[23:16] this resolution
here. None. Are there any board members
[23:20] opposed to this resolution? Very good.
Please cast yes for all members present.
[23:24] Mr. Arena.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Second item is
[23:27] a resolution awarding purchase of two
vehicle pool replacements using internal
[23:31] service funds. And I so move
>> moved by Mr. Arena. Another second by
[23:36] Mr. Aaron Booker. Discussion Mr. Arena.
>> Uh this is a budget impact of $52,958.
[23:45] » Board member discussion on this
resolution.
[23:49] Are there any board members opposed to
this resolution? Very good. Please cast
[23:53] yes for all members present. Mr. Arena,
>> that concludes our report. Thank you.
[23:57] » Thank you.
Next, Mr. Dave Tone. Let him Let's see
[24:03] him walk up.
Nice.
[24:07] Must have been a rough 2025, huh?
Public works committee.
[24:14] » Make this all electronic someday, huh?
Okay, thank you everybody. Uh public
[24:20] works uh committee brings you forth
eight resolutions this evening. Uh first
[24:25] item is uh 26-001.
It's a resolution authorizing the
[24:30] purchase of a utility tractor and I
would so move
[24:32] » moved by Mr. Tot. We have a second by
Mr. Huff and Miss Hanser. Discussion Mr.
[24:36] Tone.
>> Uh just add this is uh to replace an
[24:39] outdated piece of equipment typical
tractor you see mowing the ditches out
[24:42] on the county roads.
>> Very good. Board member discussion
[24:45] pertaining to this resolution.
Is there any opposition? Very good.
[24:50] Please cast a yes for all members
present. Mr. Tone. Uh,
[24:53] » thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, next item
is 26-002
[24:56] and it's a resolution authorizing the
purchase of four plow dump truck
[25:00] chassis. And I would so move.
>> Moved by Mr. Tone. Do we have a second
[25:04] by Mr. Booker? Discussion. Mr.
>> Just to add, these are for four plow
[25:08] dump trucks. It's a cabin chassis. Uh we
we purchased the the salt spreaders, the
[25:13] boxes, and the plows at a later date.
They're about another 12 18 months out.
[25:16] Uh this is just uh for replacement of
four plow trucks.
[25:19] » Very good. Board member discussion.
None. Are there any board members
[25:23] opposed? Very good. Please cast yes for
all members present. Mr. Tone.
[25:27] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Next item
26-003
[25:30] is a resolution authorizing an agreement
with Willlet Hoffman and Associates,
[25:34] Inc. uh for the construction engineering
uh for replacement of the Prairie Hill
[25:38] Road Bridge over the Rock River. So
moved.
[25:41] » Moved by Mr. Tone. We have a second. Mr.
Webster seconds that motion. Discussion.
[25:47] Mr.
>> Uh yes. Uh just to add up there if
[25:49] you're not familiar between uh what is
it? Route two up there and and Prairie
[25:53] Prairie South left road Prairie Hill
Road Bridge. Um message boards are out I
[25:58] believe and uh expected to be full
closure around the first week of
[26:02] February uh with total replacement
that bridge.
[26:06] » Very good discussion.
Any opposition to this resolution?
[26:12] Very good. Please cast yes for all
members present. Mr. Tot.
[26:15] » Uh thank you chairman. Uh 26-004
is a resolution uh authorizing an
[26:20] agreement with Willlet Hoffman and
Associates Inc. for architectural and
[26:24] structural engineering services uh for a
new equipment garage for the highway
[26:28] department. And I would so move
>> moved by Mr. Tony, second by Mr.
[26:31] Webster, Mr. McCarthy. Discussion.
>> Uh yeah, Mr. Chairman, uh this is
[26:36] $110,000 for engineering services for
that. I'd like to extend a very warm
[26:41] thank you to all my board members that
have supported this uh funding,
[26:44] approximately $2.5 million building that
will be being constructed out at the
[26:49] county highway department. And as you
see, we just spend uh about $300,000 a
[26:54] piece for those dump trucks. So
hopefully in some short order time,
[26:58] we'll get a building built and they'll
this time next year they'll be inside
[27:01] and warm. So thank you very much for
that.
[27:03] » I see Mr. Molina smiling back there.
Very good. Any further discussion?
[27:10] Any opposition to this resolution? Very
good. Please cast yes for all members
[27:15] present. Mr. Tone. Uh
>> thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our next item
[27:18] is a resolution 26-005
and it's a resolution authorizing an
[27:23] agreement with Chastain and Associates
LLC uh for rightway acquisition services
[27:28] for the Owen Center Road project. Now
it's so moved.
[27:31] » Moved by Mr. Tone, second by Mr. Dela
Trinidad. Discussion.
[27:35] » Uh this is like I say up there from
Riverside Boulevard up to uh Laam Road.
[27:41] uh widening and resurfacing of Owen
Center Road with a roundabout at Elmwood
[27:46] and uh looking forward to that project
starting midsummer to late fall of this
[27:50] year.
>> Okay. Any further discussion?
[27:53] Hearing none. Any opposition?
Very good. Please cast yes for all
[27:57] members present. Mr. Tony,
>> thank you, Mr. Chairman. Moving right
[28:00] along here. 26-006
is a resolution authorizing a structural
[28:05] engineering agreement with Willlet
Hoffman and Associates, Inc. for bridge
[28:09] load rating updates as part of the
centralized agency permitting system
[28:13] otherwise known as caps. So move
>> moved by Mr. Tone. We have second by
[28:18] Miss Hanser. Discussion.
>> Uh this is just some housekeeping
[28:21] things. Uh bridge load ratings. It helps
the highway department there when
[28:25] they're uh directing oversides and
overweight loads throughout the county.
[28:29] » Very good. Further discussion.
>> Any opposition? Very good. Please cast
[28:35] yes for all members present. Mr. Tone.
Uh thank you chairman. Uh next item
[28:39] 26-007
is a resolution authorizing an
[28:43] engineering agreement with its uh for
traffic signal coordination and upgrades
[28:47] along the Riverside Boulevard corridor.
And I would so move.
[28:51] » Moved by Mr. Tone, second by Mr. Dr.
Michael Thompson. Discussion, Mr. Tone.
[28:55] Uh this is part of a $800,000 carbon
reduction uh uh program uh funds that
[29:01] was uh administered through R1 and it's
to from Material Avenue out to I90 on
[29:06] Riverside. Uh it's to install traffic
lighting and and coordinate everything
[29:10] for less emissions from all the traffic.
>> Very good. Further discussion
[29:16] any opposition to this resolution?
>> Very good. Please cast yes for all
[29:20] members present. Mr. Tone.
>> Okay. Chairman, our final resolution
[29:24] here 26- 08 is an ordinance. Oh, this
would be an ordinance. Sorry, not a
[29:28] resolution. Uh, for the vacation of a
portion of Ramona Avenue right ofway in
[29:33] Rockford Township
and we would just read that in for a
[29:37] first reading.
>> So, that'll be laid over.
[29:40] » Uh, if anybody would like to entertain a
motion to suspend.
[29:44] » We have a motion to suspend and a second
by Miss Hanser. Is there any opposition
[29:49] to the suspension of rules?
Very good. Please cast yes for all
[29:53] members present. The rules are
suspended.
[29:55] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would then uh
move for the adoption of 26-008,
[29:59] an ordinance for the vacation of a
portion of Verona Avenue rightway in
[30:03] Rockford Township.
>> Moved by Mr. Tone, second by Miss
[30:06] Hanser. Any further discussion on this
ordinance?
[30:09] » Uh just to add, Mr. Chairman, if I
could, uh this is just a 100-year-old uh
[30:13] plot of a driveway rightway going into a
parcel of land that's continuously owned
[30:18] by uh private owners. And this is just
to clean up the mapping that's 100 years
[30:22] old and never went anywhere.
>> Very good. Further discussion.
[30:28] Any opposition to this res ordinance?
>> Very good. Please cast yes for all
[30:34] members present. Mr. Tone.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Everybody stay
[30:37] warm tomorrow. Be safe. Thank you.
>> You as well. Public safety and judiciary
[30:42] committee. Mr. Lindmark.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No report this
[30:45] evening.
>> Very good, Mr. Lar. Thank you.
[30:48] Unfinished business.
We have any unfinished business before
[30:52] the board?
Miss Hanser?
[30:56] » Thank you, Chairman. Um I don't know if
this is for unfinished business or new,
[30:59] but we have a vacancy with the Wnebago
County Community Mental Health Board
[31:04] that um vacancy has been um pretty much
vacant since April of 2025. We need to
[31:10] move forward on that. I would like um
both caucuses to address the
[31:13] recommendations that the Wnebago County
Community Mental Health Board brought
[31:17] forth so that we can move forward and
get someone in that spot.
[31:20] » That would be wonderful.
>> Thank you.
[31:22] » Thank you. Appreciate that. We have a
lot of appointments coming up. That will
[31:27] be one of them. Unfinished business.
Mr. Booker.
[31:33] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. uh a private
citizen brought to my attention and a
[31:41] couple of other uh board members the
attention of a couple other board
[31:44] members, Mr. Ray Thompson and uh John
Penny. U an issue in Mr. Thompson's
[31:50] district uh regarding uh uh Metro
Fiberet on Rosco Road, bike path and
[31:56] such. Uh we had it in discussion at
caucus last night. Just wondering if Mr.
[32:01] Molina with the highway department. Is
there any update, any movement? Do we
[32:06] have any information on uh that issue at
all?
[32:08] » Sure, Mr. Molina.
[32:19] » Yeah, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um the
update, well, let me just give you a
[32:24] little background. uh Metronite, which
is a fiber optic company, and there's a
[32:28] lot of them, uh install a fiber optic
line along Rosco Road, uh when we issue
[32:34] a permit, we
uh basically tell uh we review their
[32:39] plans and we tell the um the applicant
that they, you know, where we want them
[32:43] to be. Usually, it's a few feet off the
rightway line. Uh what happened in this
[32:50] case uh there's a couple of locations
where the uh contractor went into
[32:54] private property. So it was brought to
our attention later and then since then
[32:59] and that was back in uh maybe October,
November last year, we started working
[33:04] with the utility company with Mr. Sprag
and uh we've been trying to resolve the
[33:10] issue. However, uh there's so much that
we can do uh because now in in my
[33:16] opinion it's a civil matter between the
property owner and the utility company.
[33:22] So my so what we did is we basically put
on hold all their permits to this
[33:28] particular company not just at this
location but um anywhere else in the
[33:33] county. Um there is a few options. You
know, they they have to work it out with
[33:39] the property owner. They can relocate
the line to public right away. And I
[33:46] think that's about it. Um so the update
um is that my understanding uh Mr. Sprag
[33:53] is still not happy with whatever the
utility company has offered to them and
[33:58] uh again there's nothing else that uh
the highway department can do.
[34:04] Thank you.
>> Thank you. Uh I want to add that Mr.
[34:08] Sprag did say that uh Matt Fox from your
office went out very happy with uh how
[34:14] Matt Fox very cordial. It was a very
gentlemanly uh uh but
[34:22] meeting with with them and uh yeah Matt
Fox is uh
[34:27] high marks by Mr. Sprag. So, um, yeah,
he's just hoping for a, uh, um, sat
[34:34] satisfactory resolution to this, and he
doesn't want to bring any, uh, undue
[34:39] hardship on the county or anything like
that. He just wants it all worked out.
[34:42] Uh,
>> hopefully, it'll get worked out
[34:44] » and and so do we. Um, again, the only
thing that we can do and and we've done
[34:48] this with other utility companies, we we
put their permits on hold until a
[34:53] resolution uh happens. Um, again, I'm
not sure. I I think something has been
[34:59] offered to Mr. Spra and he wasn't uh
it's not something that he wants. So
[35:04] again, um I don't know the details of
that and uh there's so much that we can
[35:09] do now except that we're not going to
issue any more permits until you know
[35:14] this is completed a resolved.
>> Very good. Thank you,
[35:17] » Mr. Thompson. Uh question on this topic.
Is there any is has this ever occurred
[35:24] before this type of?
>> Yes. Uh it has uh not very often but it
[35:31] does happen. The the one thing is that
that you got to understand is that uh we
[35:35] issue many utility permits in our
rightway. We are not there when they're
[35:40] installing it. Uh we just don't have the
manpower to do that. There's a lot of
[35:43] work in our rightway. Um it has happened
before and typically it is resolved
[35:50] because all these utility companies you
know they keep coming back to us for
[35:55] permits. Right now with the fiber optic
companies is a little bit different
[35:58] because there's a lot of them are new
companies u and um and uh they're going
[36:04] to be here for a little bit and then um
and then they're gone. uh you know if it
[36:10] is a Nycore or telephone company etc you
know anytime that they come back to us
[36:16] and whether it is a similar case or any
other issue with the county we just
[36:21] won't issue any more permits and that
usually gets them moving
[36:26] » in this case and this may be something
that legal would know is there is there
[36:31] thank you is there a standard
um letter of encouragement from legal
[36:37] that could be issued that says is you
guys missed the mark on this on this
[36:41] particular you've uh trespassed onto
private a citizen of our community's
[36:48] private property would like for you to
fix this
[36:52] » chairman. Thank you. Um since we it's
our opinion it's a civil matter between
[36:58] the property owner and the company. So
if the the county steps in and attempts
[37:02] to either play a mediator or try to
Yeah. resolve it beyond what um Mr.
[37:11] Molina already said, what we've already
done, then we're stepping into their
[37:16] feud because at this point, it's my
understanding the property owner has
[37:19] rejected
an offer that the company has gave him.
[37:24] So,
we have not done a letter like that in
[37:28] the past.
[37:33] » Is is that would that be peculiar to do
that? I mean for any types of because it
[37:39] seems like we have a dog in this show in
that we issued the permit and the vendor
[37:46] did not honor the permit that we issued
and because this vendor is perhap I
[37:51] don't want to say a fly by night
operation but the vendors are just a
[37:55] contractor that's digging up the earth
and sticking a te cable in it
[38:02] two years from now they'll probably be
gone compared to comet or Nyore some of
[38:05] the others
But if a letter from from the county
[38:09] said, "Hey, we want you to work on this
and fix this." I'm wondering if that
[38:14] would motivate them.
[38:18] » I I don't know. What do you think?
>> Well, I mean, it would just probably
[38:22] reiterate what Mr. Molina has already
communicated um him and her him and his
[38:26] staff. So, if we wanted to put it in
writing what he's already told them
[38:30] verbally, we could. But I just don't
want us to get mixed up with the their
[38:35] issues.
>> Gotcha. Okay, that would be good. Then
[38:38] the other question I was going to ask
him was uh there was also an issue with
[38:42] that same customer uh client
county resident who shared that we as a
[38:50] community are putting in a bike path
along their their property and and it's
[38:55] apparently going to be very very close
to their front porch like within 15 ft.
[39:01] That's peculiar,
>> Mr. Molina.
[39:04] » Yeah. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um,
you know, just what Mr. Booker said, we
[39:11] have been working with Mr. Spray since
the beginning. We have uh he has
[39:15] expressed his concerns. This is this is
a design issue. Um, this is a future
[39:20] path. We have told him that we are going
to work with him. We are looking at all
[39:25] the alternatives and uh there's a lot of
other issues that we have to consider.
[39:29] uh we've actually because of his
comments we are actually considering
[39:33] moving the path. So the fact that he's
bringing it to to you um you know we
[39:40] have cooperated with him we have met
with him numerous times and um and we're
[39:46] going to continue to do so and uh they
have asked us you know during the design
[39:52] to do certain things with storm sewer
pipe covers and we are doing that. Um,
[39:58] I'm not telling you right now that we're
going to move the path because we're
[40:01] still looking at everything else.
There's too many other things that we
[40:04] need to consider. However, uh, we're
we're working with him on this. The path
[40:10] is in front of um the the um farmstead,
you know, you know, on the south side of
[40:16] the road. There's
many other um residential homes in that
[40:22] area. And that's what this path is going
to serve to, right? the people that live
[40:27] in those uh homes. So that's what that's
where it makes sense to put the path.
[40:33] However, we have we are considering
moving at it because of his concerns,
[40:39] but that's not a final decision yet.
>> Thank you.
[40:45] » Thank you, Mr. Webster.
>> I want to be clear on this. Uh we
[40:52] touched base on this at caucus the other
night. Um,
[40:56] you got two separate issues going on
here. Okay. One is
[41:03] the guy went on private property.
The other is what we may or may not deal
[41:11] with the uh path potential path going
there. The thing with the guy chowing
[41:18] down through that uh the power lines
there and tearing that up. We, the
[41:23] county, have absolutely no
responsibility for that at all. I
[41:29] mentioned it the other night. When we
issue permits, we issue permits
[41:33] pertaining to county property, not to
private property. We don't issue a
[41:39] permit and
uh in place of talking to the land owner
[41:45] to begin with. That's not our position.
So, we really don't need to insert
[41:50] ourselves
into that fight between the contractor
[41:56] and the land owner. That's between them.
We don't need to get involved in that.
[42:01] That's not We don't have a dog in that
fight. Okay? Just want to be clear on
[42:06] that. We don't ever give permission to
go on somebody's private property with
[42:12] the permitting
without contacting them.
[42:17] want to be be sure of that because
county gets blamed for plenty of things
[42:21] that we are not don't do or we should
have done but we didn't whatever and in
[42:27] this instance here um we're good on that
and negotiations are ongoing whatever
[42:34] for the uh path whether to move it or
whether the man agrees to have it on his
[42:39] property.
I just want to be clear on that. Thank
[42:42] you.
Any
[42:46] other unfinished business?
New business.
[42:51] Mr. McCarthy first.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate
[42:56] the uh time. Um, many of you may know or
may not know that we never had a u
[43:03] uh ordinance for elicitation here within
the county, especially the
[43:08] unincorporated areas. on behalf of
myself and Jim Webster and with great
[43:13] assistance from the state's attorney's
office that uh we were able to put
[43:16] together a draft uh for the ordinance
and what I would like to do at this
[43:21] point is to send it to committee uh
which would be operations and
[43:25] administrative uh for review and then
finally come back here to the county
[43:30] board in which we could vote on it.
>> Very good. Thank you, Mr. Sweeney.
[43:36] » Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I also have
uh legislation to send to the
[43:42] appropriate committee. I appreciate the
conversations that we had in caucus. I
[43:46] appreciate the conversations I had with
Valerie Hansert, Democrat caucus chair.
[43:50] Um, in fact, co-sponsored by Mr. Brad
Lindmark and Valerie Hansert, along with
[43:56] myself and anybody and Mr. Arena, who
informed me uh today that he'd like to
[43:59] be on this too. But basically, it's a
budget amendment directing $53,144
[44:05] a grant for the 1% safety sales tax fund
balance to the WO County CASA nonprofit
[44:11] entity, which is the courtappointed
special advocates that are well, we'll
[44:17] debate it, but just for those who in
case someone on the board doesn't know,
[44:20] that's currently servicing an entity
that currently services about 250
[44:24] children that are that find themselves
for no fault of their own tied up in our
[44:29] legal system probably by virtue of their
their parents or guardians in some um
[44:34] less fortunate situations and they do
incredible work and they're ramping up
[44:39] their volunteer base to need this
position to be able to accommodate this
[44:44] the traffic flow and the logistics of um
doing the job that they do. So I
[44:48] appreciate the support that's already
been voiced for this and um I submit
[44:53] this to the appropriate committee for
consideration.
[44:56] » Very good. Mr. Any other new business?
Mr. Dr. Michael Thompson.
[45:01] » Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman. No new
business for me, but I just want to ask
[45:04] if I if I could have my name added as a
sponsor for the ordinance draft
[45:10] regarding solicitation that uh Mr.
McCarthy and Mr. Webster have brought
[45:15] forward to us this evening. Thank you.
>> Well noted. Thank you, Mr. Ray Thompson.
[45:20] Just wondering are we signing up are we
signing up for this annually or is this
[45:26] a one time currents
>> this 54 uh
[45:30] » draft solicitation agreement
>> right right 53,000
[45:34] » no no this is for Mr. Sweeny's
>> right
[45:39] » proposal for the kaza Mr. Sweeney
>> to answer your question, it would be the
[45:44] intent that in the once this grant was
given that in the budgetary process, it
[45:48] would be included year-over-year
recurring.
[45:53] » Good. Moral,
>> this is one of the best programs that we
[45:59] have had in our county. It needs to be
continued on. And I'm sorry they didn't
[46:04] have someone, but now they're going to
have someone that'll take care of this.
[46:08] I just ran into um Judge Rosemary
Collins this past week and she started
[46:13] this and it was quite a few years ago
and it has been very very uh helpful to
[46:20] young people. This needs to be carried
on. Thank you for doing that. John,
[46:26] » thank you. New business
announcements and communications. Cler
[46:32] Gumau.
>> Thank you chairman. I'd like to remind
[46:35] everyone that early voting starts on
February 5th. That is also the first day
[46:41] that vote by mail ballots can be put in
the mail. I'd like to announce that we
[46:46] have been notified by the postal service
that they are changing some of their
[46:50] practices.
It is no longer their policy that when
[46:54] you drop a piece of mail at your post
office or in your mailbox, it will be
[46:59] postmarked that day. It could be uh a
few days later because they're changing
[47:05] their process.
So, keep in mind if you are voting by
[47:09] mail, we are highly recommending that
you put it in the mail back to us no
[47:13] later than March 10th or drop it off at
our office or use the dropbox that's
[47:18] located outside of our office. Our
target date for our offsite is going to
[47:24] be on March 18th. That is the first day
for grace period voting. There are a lot
[47:29] of candidates on this ballot and we also
have four referendum questions, four or
[47:35] five. Uh we're currently laying out the
ballot as we speak. We're proofing it
[47:39] and laying it out and there are still
some state candidates that are going
[47:43] through objections. Um so we're kind of
waiting on some of that, but your um
[47:48] staff in the elections department has
been working very hard uh for this
[47:51] election. So again, remember to vote and
if you want to vote in person, so you
[47:56] have three choices. Vote early, vote by
mail, or vote in person on St. Patrick's
[48:01] Day, which is March 17th.
In addition, all the items that our
[48:06] clerk's office has received is on file
for your review. Thank you, chairman.
[48:11] » Thank you. Announcements,
communications.
[48:15] Hearing none, Mr. Webster moves to
adjourn. Second by Mr. Dr. Michael
[48:20] Thompson. All in favor say I. I. We are
joured.