[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6168917,"mediaKeyId","5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548","parentId",5406504,"title","McLean County approves one-time audit of shared mental health sales-tax fund after public objections to proposed pause","audioSeconds",4959,"startMs",225000,"endMs",5184000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548&start=225&end=5184","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548/thumbnail_225000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6168917/McLean-County/Illinois/McLean-County-approves-one-time-audit-of-shared-mental-health-sales-tax-fund-after-public-objections-to-proposed-pause","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168917-26ad4662398966b613cb0e6fd8bff65e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=Ke0vytQFGMoHhVZ~-BlthLoLkJnu0rMBJkJdmMpeP1l-rkhEwi~18zxMqGLoC1-nH5FpCQVzzg-uVUX~0kPi8M73qACeCsDq6qSuZ2aiHEw6BCLYccaEtFua0sd9BQ9-MsIgmhoK31n32txAaXKng0qMG23q9SisZrU646U82pR4H5vDLGU4-GRS61nX4b5bADuIGC0N7SRCKej3AHP1LkokeELTkAZyMIZODukZJx2OAaKYuELxsRk9Kva-l1hcaTn4YdLMHZS8menr0NSaaNg-uavbERwipoeWdsPRdfVCSfrxiygX4hxm0eEjnc0INMyEeNy1ER8hm9GJhBCMLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","McLean County, IL","date","2025-07-16T21:48:01.927Z","article","McLean County Executive Committee members voted to authorize a one-time external review of the county’s Mental Health and Public Safety Fund after weeks of public concern about a proposed pause in shared sales-tax contributions.

County Administrator Cassie Taylor summarized the fund's finances and projections during the meeting, saying the county had received $38,646,649 in shared sales tax since the fund began and that, under current spending plans, the fund balance could decline from roughly $20 million at the end of 2024 to about $10 million by the end of 2027. Taylor said a one-year pause in contributions would reduce projected 2027 reserves to roughly $4.9 million.

Why it matters: The shared sales-tax money supports community behavioral-health services, criminal-justice programs, debt service on the county’s jail expansion and a countywide integrated justice information system. Commenters warned that pausing funding would disrupt services, reduce access to care and risk losing programs that rely on steady multi-year funding.

Public comments: Kevin McCall, a Bloomington-Normal therapist, urged board members not to approve a pause. “Without a binding reinvestment plan, there's no guarantee that funding will return,” McCall said. He warned that pauses “often become elongated, indefinite, and quietly permanent” and said they risk staff departures and program closures.

Stephanie Barish, a mental-health provider and chair of the Mental Health and Public Safety Fund Advisory Council, said the county recently restructured advisory bodies to speed spending and that projects are already underway. “Now is not the time to reduce those available supports,” Barish said, citing federal funding instability and local programs that depend on county dollars.

Kim Bridal, chief clinical officer at McLean County Center for Human Services, said pausing funds would “put a strain on our already strained and underfunded system” and increase demand on crisis teams, hospitals and other providers.

County presentation and questions: Taylor described revenue growth after a 2021 legislative change and explained that the county prioritized grant-seeking (including federal grants) as a “payer of last resort.” She noted the fund currently pays roughly 31% of debt service tied to the jail expansion — about $1.1 million annually — and that the county will rely more on the Mental Health and Public Safety Fund in 2026 after ARPA funds used on the integrated justice project are exhausted.

Board debate and decision: Several board members pressed for clarity about the specific concerns prompting calls for a pause. Member Klein and Member Byrne said an audit might be reasonable but asked for a clearer problem statement before spending county funds. Member Layman and others said, given public pressure, approving the one-time audit was warranted to preserve intergovernmental relationships.

The committee approved a resolution to pay for an external review capped at $50,000; the motion was made by Member Cline and seconded by Member Reeves. The chair noted one member voted no; the meeting record does not identify that member by name.

What the resolution does — and does not — do: The approved measure funds a single audit/review; committee members said any additional audits would require a separate intergovernmental amendment. Board members said the audit’s scope (financial only, procedural, timeframe covered) will be defined in the procurement/RFP process and brought back for board review before the contract is awarded.

Context and next steps: Taylor said staff will share the most recent intergovernmental reports with the City of Bloomington and Town of Normal and that the BHCC (Behavioral Health Coordinating Council) and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council plan strategic documents for release in October. Members also emphasized that advisory restructuring to expedite funding is recent (about a year) and that many grant-funded projects are still underway.

Ending: The committee’s decision to fund a one-time review resolves the immediate request from municipal partners for a closer accounting of the fund. Board members said they expect the audit procurement and scope to be presented to the full board before any contract is executed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Executive Committee 7/14/25","oneSentenceSummary","McLean County Executive Committee members voted to authorize a one-time external review of the county’s Mental Health and Public Safety Fund after public comments and town and city officials raised concerns about transparency and a proposed pause in shared sales-tax contributions.","taxTitle","McLean County, Illinois","taxId",2553,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168896,"County board selects Mejorando Group for strategic planning; contract to guide vision, goals and implementation roadmap",608,3635000,4243000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548&start=3635&end=4243","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548/thumbnail_3635000.jpg","/articles/6168896/McLean-County/Illinois/County-board-selects-Mejorando-Group-for-strategic-planning-contract-to-guide-vision-goals-and-implementation-roadmap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168896-56dc84cf83242bcd6367d955b3455eb8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=LDtEXp78F70klbjmhL2Z~vCbIBnQChiPEtJ3FNbxG8k3iqNhinFQBItrJkpQAYVO8o5-6zpl9gvEVv50Od~h5hSWpY526ZXta-M6p-MFAAI~O2qkWwsWTPbcRsYKY62po8q6TOjdcmNjYLZeMkk5mxBfzt3nH8CZCGFQ8kCNxILlMZeQSo~cFVy-QAh6Ex9nmxhc8nL14XajJKxF165RHzBF5U~MSrUCveRRkFxL-ammyzsi48a0rmTIbmDn8R2UGEFZHi-u9IVPv4vMT~mPymVII3pfUIVVh~F~uzmwstOQ2TFEMm5xBpYoHk9-RzTHn73Jghdz40-IuKxk2nPkNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McLean County Executive Committee approved moving forward with a consultant contract recommendation to develop a County Board strategic plan, selecting Mejorando Group after a scoring and interview process.

Process and selection: County Administrator Cassie Taylor said four evaluators — three County Board members and Taylor herself — scored nine responses to a request for proposals. The group unanimously recommended Mejorando Group; Taylor said the winning proposal combined subject-matter understanding with accessible public-facing presentation.

Scope: Taylor said the consultant will facilitate stakeholder input, help the board craft a vision, mission and core values, develop strategic focus areas, set goals and performance measures and produce an implementation plan and “living document” for ongoing use.

Budget and next steps: Members said the county budget already included professional-services funding applicable to this work. The committee approved moving the consultant contract forward; contractor selection and contracting will follow procurement and contracting rules. Member Klein asked whether the evaluation panel was bipartisan; Taylor said the panel included three board members and the county administrator and that scoring was unanimous.

Why it matters: Committee members described the strategic-planning effort as a countywide tool to align departmental priorities, budgeting and five-year capital planning. Member Layman called the work a “united front and planful execution” for county government.

Ending: The committee approved proceeding with the recommended consultant selection; members said they expect the selected consultant to report back with a workplan, stakeholder-engagement schedule and deliverables timeline for board review.","The Executive Committee recommended a consultant contract with Mejorando Group after a four-person evaluation panel scored proposals; the selected firm will facilitate vision, mission, core values and strategic focus areas for the County Board and synthesize an implementation plan.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168902,"Executive Committee approves new grants manager position, appropriation and $1.34 million bridge contract for behavioral-health projects",723,2317000,3040000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548&start=2317&end=3040","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548/thumbnail_2317000.jpg","/articles/6168902/McLean-County/Illinois/Executive-Committee-approves-new-grants-manager-position-appropriation-and-134-million-bridge-contract-for-behavioral-health-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168902-17b2b88b7f0e35c60eabd2b60aa2d537/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=nGu4qYibyvRca13fglMPr0zYm~6GUH2us3VFB8ygjKmoluGeHXulGTYg9Vp2vUSTs1HVr~DlkrG9PmeCTtVTFe33JYE9bi-Ao0WYAquedTMa4Q42YrYZiYBMlaY2gznU7kHnJbyiEKhd4pUWVkB0Dc3Lb4EqGYdZWWbvMPMS3OV6cwpzvsA7Sle9JwF2RW6SvmkBRaZQtIWI5ZL3TMECD354sd42qWUqACRAKzNUF17qt8rnksECJtKMw~lJwy2YilPAycLEENbfG7170gAdJiQaddKUwi~2APF13Y4fyhKp3~~Lq7OeYsBGTzXgCnDILudgWFOmCr5PYxS0t5WwuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McLean County Executive Committee approved several actions from the Behavioral Health Coordination Department aimed at sustaining and advancing local behavioral-health services.

What the committee approved: Members voted to create a new full-time grants program manager position for the Behavioral Health Coordination Department, approved an emergency appropriation amendment to the county’s 2025 budget for behavioral health coordination, and approved a $1,341,170.80 contract with Home Sweet Home Ministries for construction and operation of a “bridge” project. Motions to approve the items passed by voice vote.

Department rationale: Marita Landreth, director of Behavioral Health Coordination, told the committee the new grants-program manager is needed to manage an increasing volume of funding opportunities, to create consistent application processes, and to evaluate outcomes for greater transparency. She said the position’s job description and a new-position request form were included in the meeting packet.

Program updates: Landreth reported progress on the FUSE program, saying the county was serving 36 active clients in June and that clients engaged in FUSE have fewer interactions with the justice system, homeless shelters and emergency departments while active in the program. She also reported progress on the System of Care grant, work on an EMDR training contract expected in August, and an engagement with Dr. Frank Beck to provide data expertise to inform BHCC (Behavioral Health Coordinating Council) decisions.

Contract detail and clarification: Member Klein asked whether the contract with Home Sweet Home Ministries was the same expenditure approved previously; Landreth said the committee had approved the proposal last month and this meeting approved formal contract language. The contract amount on the meeting record is $1,341,170.80.

Votes and next steps: The grants manager position, the emergency appropriation ordinance and the Home Sweet Home Ministries contract were approved by the committee and will move to the full Board as required. Landreth said she would continue to report contract milestones, grant activity and program metrics such as FUSE enrollment and outcomes.

Ending: Committee members emphasized the need for transparency and outcome measurement; Landreth said hiring a dedicated grants manager will increase the department’s capacity to track awards and report outcomes to the public and partner agencies.","The committee approved a grants program manager position in the Behavioral Health Coordination Department, an emergency budget appropriation and a $1,341,170.80 contract with Home Sweet Home Ministries for construction and operation of a bridge project; staff reported 36 active clients in the FUSE program and other initiatives underway.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168906,"County IT approves change orders as AEGIS and court-management projects face delays and conversions",1329,1697000,3026000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548&start=1697&end=3026","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548/thumbnail_1697000.jpg","/articles/6168906/McLean-County/Illinois/County-IT-approves-change-orders-as-AEGIS-and-court-management-projects-face-delays-and-conversions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168906-9eb44d5470f1c8b31760401b604984a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=DKaZ0Pbgokbxmg29ZVg5DoDBFEqMmvoIAouhZy9PPSWdR8UguGvCefFVsGb6jJuhdR-zZPJM0R~zaFw8Q5j9KLNc4o7xms6RxcF7tchSsPCpggumYvIbdQAlUVq1eWYCY3salqZ-dzi7ixKWsZVo9fdgWEHzVPrLTvdzX-m7FRR~WQOQhzmW6ZgW64xKKjShZ-jQBZXe0lqL3diIKCT0lwif95~WcqxhN2sefcxNZ3SNt1-sGYIy2Kx32CPr168YEIc5-I25A-QsbXQDGG6BWrchzf~jnJ-ILoAFv7WAHkfto1EhT1-8TEoB2O8Zr~r~cnCOmbC1mN7Dv3Pnv4nxqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The McLean County Executive Committee approved a package of information-technology items tied to the county’s justice and court modernization work, while county staff cautioned that several ERP-conversion and data-cleanup questions remain unresolved.

What passed: The committee approved a $144,000 change order with Calibert Public Safety to support post–go-live work on the records-management component of the AEGIS replacement, a one-year renewal of Boomi integration software under a State of Illinois contract, and a Journal Technologies change order to cover additional court-management data conversions and interfaces.

Why it matters: County staff described the county’s move from a monolithic justice database to a modular environment where discrete components (case management, records management, jail management) can be updated separately. That modernization is designed to enable better data sharing, new citizen-facing digital services and more flexible upgrades — but it requires complex integrations, conversions and continued vendor support.

Details and concerns: IT Director Nelson told the committee the Calibert change order covers post–go-live needs, National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) work and additional vendor meetings as the records-management component prepares to go live. The Boomi renewal was described as a standard annual renewal; Boomi provides the data-transport layer between the county’s new applications.

The Journal Technologies change order addresses delays in the court-management system rollout and adds a fourth data conversion plus three interfaces that were not fully specified during the original procurement. The county negotiated a 20% holdback on payments tied to that contract to compensate the vendor for work completed while the project timeline shifted.

ERP conversion issues: Nelson also reported outstanding conversion questions with the county auditor's office, including a key chart-of-accounts definition (for which he served as signatory), a crosswalk between old and new system configurations and 26 capital assets that appear misclassified. Staff said timely auditor responses are needed to avoid conversion of incorrect data; clean-up is possible after conversion but is less desirable.

Board action and votes: Each item was moved and approved in committee: the Calibert change order motion by Member Abel (second by Member Byrne); Boomi renewal motion by Member Byrne (second by Member Abel); Journal Technologies motion by Member Layman (second by Member Friedrich). All three measures were approved by voice vote.

Ending: County IT leaders said they will continue to work with the auditor’s office and project managers to finalize crosswalks and asset classifications before conversion; they noted that some post-conversion cleanup is possible but increases risk and workload.","The Executive Committee approved three IT actions — a $144,000 change order for Calibert Public Safety, a one-year renewal for Boomi integration software and a Journal Technologies change order adding conversions and interfaces — while staff warned ERP conversion items remain unresolved.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6168912,"Hayworth resident urges McLean County to halt regional land-use plan, cites missing intergovernmental agreements and school-district outreach failures",2967,519000,3486000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548&start=519&end=3486","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5406504-701ed96442439e032c91f32c3b6e3548/thumbnail_519000.jpg","/articles/6168912/McLean-County/Illinois/Hayworth-resident-urges-McLean-County-to-halt-regional-land-use-plan-cites-missing-intergovernmental-agreements-and-school-district-outreach-failures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6168912-2d1425343f5f0f3d26e0b0333f513733/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186185&Signature=N5mbKYvupdDiUMrlqUjpS1mfP3peK-bCR5Dxy6TzTkHJkyLinysrrQjJdOJpkRkDPKPh5Oh9~WqF-5vsMYGHmB4yS4~UA7emmqL6poAwhKiNNILUJhYbsNEts6Jvd8SOaLQnaXNEPbQLTQ0bRyFAbe2GW-2OPECXFkOCHPKX8OHTGvyzjtDgpKWZnqzF1PfZEVTrQokqN2GrFLN92VKY8H7lIiUXrElc-ZNETO2Fcab1tV3uo7u20KM88b78rIFn9f7D~wsuklB76WQ~sD5EOyypLJFc2nLb61YMH2eKKJcx9x2zqaWRUk7j5JIunmRUsOiGgrIjYa6kpZmjVoioJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tricia Braid, a Hayworth resident, told the McLean County Executive Committee that the county’s draft strategic land-use plan contains factual errors and procedural gaps that, in her view, must be fixed before any adoption.

Braid said she submitted a letter with examples to Chairperson Johnston and asked the committee to “stop this plan where it sits and send the RPC back to the drawing board for the comprehensive plan.” She cited three primary concerns: the plan’s map does not reflect Hayworth’s extraterritorial zoning authority, the plan proposes residential growth in locations where the local school district said it was not consulted, and the plan’s modeling lacked “ground truthing” and sufficient formal engagement with rural municipalities and townships.

Why it matters: Braid argued that omissions and incorrect assumptions in the plan could lead to inappropriate zoning recommendations and future litigation. She cited a FOIA response indicating no intergovernmental agreements exist to extend municipal zoning authority beyond corporate limits and asked for legal review before adoption.

Key points raised by Braid:
- Page 18 (plan) references extension of municipal zoning authority beyond corporate limits; FOIA to McLean County showed no intergovernmental agreements authorizing that.
- The plan omits Hayworth’s established extraterritorial jurisdiction; Braid asked that the ETJ be shown on the plan’s map so it is not overlooked in future decisions.
- Page 20 proposes residential development within Hayworth School District boundaries; the school district said it was not engaged, creating risks to transportation, staffing and capacity.
- The plan’s modeling lacked sufficient ground truthing; rural and urban townships were not formally engaged and the public-comment timeline may be too short to allow meaningful reviews.

Braid also cited Chapter 20 of the McLean County Code, which she said gives the Executive Committee oversight of the Regional Planning Commission and obligates the committee to ensure open and transparent vetting of major plans.

Response and context: The Executive Committee did not take formal action on the plan during this meeting. Member Klein later encouraged interested parties to view the recorded Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting to hear the Regional Planning Commission presentation and to examine the process used by planners.

Ending: Braid asked the committee to set a clear standard for intergovernmental collaboration and transparency before moving the plan forward. The committee did not vote on the plan at this meeting; members referenced the committee-level discussion and the recorded Land Use and Transportation meeting for further context.","At the Executive Committee meeting, resident Tricia Braid told members the county’s draft strategic land-use plan contains mapping errors, omits the Village of Hayworth’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and did not engage the Hayworth School District; she asked the committee to stop the process and send the plan back to the Regional Planning","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

McLean County approves one-time audit of shared mental health sales-tax fund after public objections to proposed pause

County board selects Mejorando Group for strategic planning; contract to guide vision, goals and implementation roadmap

Executive Committee approves new grants manager position, appropriation and $1.34 million bridge contract for behavioral-health projects

County IT approves change orders as AEGIS and court-management projects face delays and conversions

Hayworth resident urges McLean County to halt regional land-use plan, cites missing intergovernmental agreements and school-district outreach failures