Lee County reports foreclosure, assumes Lee Center School deed and advances grant plans

Lee County staff told the Public Safety Committee that the county is actively working to resolve several high-priority abandoned properties and is moving forward on multiple grant-funded planning projects.

Jeremy, who described the county's abandoned-properties focus group work, said the Magnuson property has entered the foreclosure process and that county staff have been involved alongside Dixon Rural Fire Department, the health department and zoning staff to seek resolution. Jeremy said the county “assumed ownership of the Lee Center School through judicial deed last week” and that assuming title will allow staff to engage more directly with a developer that had previously expressed interest.

The county is also exploring options for the old Aldenas infirmary and is reviewing nuisance-code pathways alongside attorney Zellinger, Jeremy said.

On grants, Jeremy said the county is preparing an intergovernmental agreement template so municipalities can use funds from the Strong Communities grant program; he said the city of Amboy is ready to execute on one property and that the county has less than one year remaining in the two-year grant period. He added that Lee County has previously submitted three RAISE planning grant applications and is pursuing a planning grant for a multiuse path between the city of Dixon and Sauk Valley Community College, a project Jeremy said would cost about $1,400,000.

Why it matters: taking title to distressed properties and coordinating grant-funded planning are steps the county is using to return vacant or nuisance properties to productive use and to pursue regional infrastructure improvements.

No formal committee votes were recorded on those reports; staff presented status updates and next steps.