[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.

Winnebago County IL Board 01/22/2026

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