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Iroquois County reviews county engineer pay and MFT reimbursement rules ahead of budget
Summary
County engineer presented IDOT’s newly published minimum recommended salary and explained how Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) reimbursement rules can offset part of the county share if the county pays at least 95% of the IDOT‑recommended minimum.
Iroquois County board members discussed the county engineer’s salary and how Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) reimbursement rules interact with state guidance on minimum pay for county engineers.
The county engineer reviewed the historical pay resolution and a recently released Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) minimum recommended salary for 2025. “They felt $138,700 was the minimum,” the engineer said, describing how IDOT set a 10% increase for the 2025 recommended minimum. The engineer also said he is currently at a $140,000 rate and was proposing a 2% increase to $142,800 for budget planning.
The engineer explained a reimbursement mechanism tied to MFT funds: if the county pays at least 95% of IDOT’s recommended minimum salary, a federal funding stream can reimburse half of the salary back into MFT funds. “If you can pay at least 95% of that minimum rate, then out of federal funds, they reimburse MFT half of it,” he said, noting that federal funds carry more reporting requirements than county MFT dollars.
Board members asked clarifying questions about the forms and agreements that implement the reimbursement and whether the county’s current MFT budget would be affected. The engineer said he would research the specific BLR (bridge/local) form referenced in the packet (noted in discussion as BLR 09228/221) and could bring the formal agreement language back to the board.
No formal vote on salary was taken at the meeting; the engineer asked that the board include a salary figure in upcoming budget materials to allow staff to prepare appropriations. Finance staff said the matter would appear in the county’s budget deliberations and that further review of the IDOT paperwork and the MFT reimbursement mechanism would occur before any permanent change.
The board also discussed timing: the county engineer’s pay proposal needs to be included in the upcoming budget schedules and may affect the county’s ability to draw down federal reimbursements tied to MFT. Board members requested the engineer and finance staff return with the written agreements and forms that govern the reimbursement.
The discussion closed with no action taken; the engineer and finance staff will supply documentation for the budget hearings.
