Kankakee County executive committee approves increases to food-permit fees; full board review set for November

Kankakee County's Executive Committee voted Oct. 22 to approve proposed increases to food-service permit fees recommended by the county Board of Health, a step county health officials said is intended to help the environmental health division keep pace with rising costs.

The committee's roll call vote on the fee ordinance amendment was unanimous. John Beavis, a representative of the county health department, told the committee the increase would mainly bring the department closer to comparable county rates and cover higher staff, equipment and technology costs.

Beavis said the proposal raises the fee for Category 1 (formerly "high risk") establishments by $100 and Category 2 (medium risk) by $50; fees for low-risk establishments, such as retail grocery or gas-station operators, would not change. He said the department aims to have the new fees take effect Dec. 1 if the full county board approves them in November.

"We're not doing this as a money grab," Beavis said. "It's not an opportunity to just increase revenue for us." He told the committee the department's last fee increase was in February 2019 and that, without periodic adjustments, costs for staff salaries, utilities and supplies fall out of alignment with fees charged for inspections and permits.

Beavis and Dana James, a health inspector who helped prepare the cost study, presented comparisons to other Illinois counties and said the environmental health division still receives less revenue than its costs require. Beavis said the county inspects about 600 to 650 food establishments and also conducts frequent weekend inspections of temporary and mobile food vendors.

Committee members asked about enforcement of home-based food operations. James said the department registers certain cottage-food activities and will pursue permitting and compliance when residents operate full commercial kitchens from their homes.

The committee first moved to accept Beavis's monthly report (motion by Hunter; second by Carico) by voice vote. Later, after discussion and questions from members, the committee voted on the fee proposal (motion by Foster; second by Weber) by roll call; each member present voted "aye." Beavis told the committee the department's goal is to begin renewals under the new schedule on Dec. 1.

The committee packet included cost studies and county comparisons prepared by environmental health staff and by James and Keith Winalski, the county's environmental health director. Beavis said the proposed increases include higher charges for some temporary-food permits and reiterated the department's view that the increases are intended to close a gap between fees collected and service costs.

Next steps: the proposed ordinance amendment will go to the full county board in November for final consideration. If approved by the full board, the health department plans to implement the new fees for the upcoming renewal cycle beginning in December.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve minutes of Sept. 17, 2025 (motion by Carrickos; second by Parker). Voice vote — motion carries. - Motion to approve disposal of surplus information-technology equipment (motion by Hunter; second by Feathering). Voice vote — motion carries. - Motion to accept the Health Department monthly report on file (motion by Hunter; second by Carico). Voice vote — motion carries. - Motion to approve proposed fee increases to the environmental health/food ordinance (motion by Foster; second by Weber). Roll-call vote — unanimous "aye;" motion carries.

(Other routine departmental reports were accepted by the committee during the meeting; those approvals were done by voice vote and recorded in the minutes.)