Wesley, a county maintenance staffer, told the County Property meeting on Dec. 12 that equipment failures at several facilities required immediate repairs and temporary measures while the county obtains replacement quotes.

Wesley said both ejector (grinder) pump units clogged after laundry bags and other debris entered the system; the county removed the units and took one to a manufacturer in Rockford to assess repair options while seeking a quote to buy a replacement so a backup can be kept on hand. "We're down to one pump right now," Wesley said, adding that a complete failure would flood the basement and produce persistent odors.

Wesley also described a nursing‑home safety incident in which a worker carrying a mattress slipped and fell partway through an opening in a stairwell landing. Staff members Mike and Nate installed temporary L‑brackets; Wesley proposed a permanent fix using angle iron secured to the wall to prevent future falls and noted the gap appears to be an old design element present for decades.

At the health department, Wesley reported an interior window leak that damaged drywall; crews applied a temporary caulking and jack repair and the county is getting a glass‑shop quote for full replacement rather than repair.

On staffing and procurement, Wesley said a budgeted pickup truck (budget line $80,000) came in under budget at roughly $50,200 on a state bid and will be configured with a snowplow package; a new full‑time maintenance hire with extensive prior experience will start Monday. Wesley summarized annual generator inspection recommendations and presented repair cost estimates of about $4,000, $3,000 and $15,500 for different units; he said he will verify useful life and comparative costs before moving forward.

The committee discussed inspection histories and asked Wesley to bring last year’s inspection comparison and lifecycle data to the next meeting.