[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6202806,"mediaKeyId","3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122","parentId",3785391,"title","Public-safety panel refines no-burn ordinance language after several firefighters injured in grass fires","audioSeconds",559,"startMs",311000,"endMs",870000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122&start=311&end=870","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122/thumbnail_311000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202806/Lee-County/Illinois/Public-safety-panel-refines-no-burn-ordinance-language-after-several-firefighters-injured-in-grass-fires","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202806-63b2af02687c682e924c0de16c109251/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163902&Signature=cuvRm9nJGLQQgYn2HX5pQN1x7k8U-RR6ps7-gwtv2Zav4ifAd0oBcb2LZTW-WfpApAjFj9Dn5VecHXqt7NaAwEPtdj0om4Mh7SUwP-f-Y-jNcTY~-01sYuu7ZYMVmo-BOlOTCWICBjsmdraMP~sGDyCAKIYStdcJ2R2HHNV4MtUBLjjfrgo5v1s6BRwJgO60lwZ6ha~tskCoIxrLIrtLlA2uELY1nw4WWRv3doBrt3YlQRIY13NcC3Rf5ZoItuQQnW9ftRxrECe2ee7iToi1tf2GoE--JbfdPkkOqoHy4tjznEsLw8gwa0mHviQkMiXtrYjrIcSloT0CmUtPmDMHEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lee County, IL","date","2025-06-12T16:00:36Z","article","Lee County's Public Safety Committee discussed fine-tuning the county's no-burn ordinance to focus on when and how burning occurs rather than attempting to regulate what property owners burn, following recent incidents that seriously injured multiple firefighters.

A committee member summarized the committee's view: \"We're not trying to control what's being burned. We understand that there's reasons specifically in cropland that it has to be burned off or designated to be burned off. So we're not controlling what, but how and when.\" The committee said the ordinance language under review aims to keep burning in compliance with red-flag warnings and to reduce dangerous conditions such as burning on high-wind days.

Committee members cited recent incidents in which \"4 out of 5 firefighters in 2 different locations\" were seriously injured responding to grass fires; the speaker said those firefighters were airlifted to Rockwood for treatment. The committee stressed the distinction between \"prescribed burns,\" conducted by trained teams, and uncontrolled or poorly planned burns, and said the county has trained teams available for prescribed burns. One committee participant urged caution, saying, \"People need to remember that they don't need to be burning ditches when there's 35 mile an hour winds.\"

The committee said the purpose of the ordinance revisions is to address timing and conditions (for example, red-flag conditions and wind speed) rather than to prohibit specific types of agricultural or land-management burning. The committee did not take final action on the ordinance language during the meeting; staff will continue to refine draft language and may return to the committee with proposed text and education plans.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lee County Executive Committee Meeting - 06/12/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lee County's public safety committee discussed tightening a no-burn ordinance to focus on timing and conditions of burning after recent incidents seriously injured multiple firefighters; committee emphasized education on prescribed vs. controlled burns.","taxTitle","Lee County, Illinois","taxId",58219,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202811,"Lee County to handle minor solar special-use amendments administratively; overlay text amendment remains pending",0,151000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122&start=151&end=151","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122/thumbnail_151000.jpg","/articles/6202811/Lee-County/Illinois/Lee-County-to-handle-minor-solar-special-use-amendments-administratively-overlay-text-amendment-remains-pending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202811-c8f16a5b1546cd000352daf75ec480e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163901&Signature=R~HF7enke3KRm7ra1PfHXNzkwk6~zaqPBZXQ2~mfPNcnIxKlkU2YN-9cXKYsxvlQtXYIU034cWLQp9VJXZbjGrRBLvA~5RpU~tHQS16-zrOnDIAQRjx7RtyK29HGG0CLXm4GoR57zw18qBSORphQ6LYLXysh0a3gRskZ9C95P0jwZ8WD8ybRtH8d2IRtM9NhRmYYX5Zu1-7JK962sROgSJOVYlGca7yr-B0bZU-F-OZN9OkllxjVT4OJwE9p6VSD6dIyBNBRHwjt02B11Gp~e97WzQ13jUP78OeYU9KgKO7Ie8b7HNyelv8aOYC26OGR2H1NJowuwUP3BsO37g5Yow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lee County county services reported that a petitioner asked for two minor amendments to an existing special-use permit for a solar project — one to extend the permit duration and another to recognize a subsidiary corporation — and that the zoning administrator will handle those changes administratively rather than sending them to the zoning hearing officer.

A county services member summarized the request and described the changes as \"minor adjustments\" that fall within the zoning administrator's administrative authority. The member said the administrator \"felt with the way her office operates is that she has the ability to make those changes without having to send it to the hearing officer just to save a little bit of time.\" The administrator will provide notice of the changes to the services committee to maintain transparency; the committee said it will take further action only if needed.

Separately, the committee confirmed that petition 25-PD-1647, a zoning petition for property identified as 602 River Lane in Belmyra Township (parcel PIN 16-07-01-226-004), was filed and will proceed to the zoning hearing office. Another petition listed on the draft county board agenda (petition B) was pulled because county services deemed it a minor amendment to be handled administratively; it will not appear on the county board agenda.

The committee also noted that petition 25-PC-79, a proposed text amendment to Title 10, Zoning Regulations, Chapter 8 (overlay district) of the Lee County Code of Ordinances, was held over in May and remains on the committee's list of unfinished business. The committee did not take final action on the text amendment during the meeting.

County staff present for follow-up included the zoning administrator (referenced as Alice in the meeting); the administrator will provide the committee with the administrative changes and further detail if committee review becomes necessary.","County services said two requested minor amendments to a solar special-use permit will be processed administratively by the zoning administrator rather than sent to the hearing officer; a separate proposed amendment to Title 10, Chapter 8 (overlay district) remains held over from May.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202816,"Lee County committee accepts 2024 audit, forwards engineer-salary resolution to full board",84,526000,610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122&start=526&end=610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785391-bab447c29a03743100a8974cdde8a122/thumbnail_526000.jpg","/articles/6202816/Lee-County/Illinois/Lee-County-committee-accepts-2024-audit-forwards-engineer-salary-resolution-to-full-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202816-028add816f2f6764e29885424c3a150f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163901&Signature=b44eINWpvzEGutU478lGd81ZpcUrVfgKhQwpJW6dOAQXk1kFIubzD5xQZOO7jien8Ty6XRo0vjPXNjihMLZTLiWl1nNxa5WUEVc67tRkwmyssnVFsg6VWhdaLMV5yENmHAB7TyLNOFxOzNS1Cwwd4f1-ITI39Nw8aMVuKWvwT-u8fKpoImxc4fXg5CgCXQ9dqo7~6auInILj0tzPNiLhwMXukxd7-ianG-0ntGtp6T6gyOOISE714Lb3XIFjFA~JIAA8tfTVaN-K89xtFYhxxsjz2rW-PxuYBscj-xbd4tD5gVJdhG8Cyya3r0xlBWq3ICER~RjgsO9YuR7RTgNPJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lee County Executive Committee voted to accept the county's 2024 audit and forward a resolution amending the county engineer's salary appropriation to the full county board for final action.

The decision came after the Finance Committee's quarterly review, during which members described the audit as \"clean\" with a few minor comments and said departmental spending that had run high earlier in the year had cooled. \"The audit was presented and approved, and it need to be moved to the full board,\" a Finance Committee member said during the meeting.

Finance Committee member Jim Scheelein reported the committee met at 9 a.m., received the quarterly financial report and the audit presentation, and recommended acceptance of the 2024 audit. The committee noted that some expenditures had been running \"a little bit hot\" earlier in the year but that department heads appeared to be returning to budget. A staff participant identified in the packet as Jennifer Dallas asked questions about audit notes during the presentation.

Committee members also discussed language for placing the audit on the county board agenda; one member asked that the agenda item be worded as \"accepting the 2024 audit.\" The committee approved the audit recommendation and the salary-resolution amendment for placement on the full board's agenda. The meeting record shows the motions were approved by voice vote; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.

The committee also approved several reappointment resolutions and motions to place appointments on the county board agenda; those personnel items will appear on the county board docket for final action.

The committee did not take final action on the salary appropriation; forwarding the resolution means the full county board will consider the proposed change when it meets.","The Lee County Executive Committee voted to accept the county's 2024 audit and agreed to forward a resolution amending the county engineer's salary appropriation to the full county board for final action; the finance committee reported a generally clean audit with minor comments.","actionData","errors"]

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Public-safety panel refines no-burn ordinance language after several firefighters injured in grass fires

Lee County to handle minor solar special-use amendments administratively; overlay text amendment remains pending

Lee County committee accepts 2024 audit, forwards engineer-salary resolution to full board