Iroquois County Board approves maintenance funding, discusses solar and emergency upgrades and adopts property-fraud ordinance

IROQUOIS COUNTY, Ill. — The Iroquois County Board on Dec. 9 approved routine budget and administrative measures, heard updates on emergency-management upgrades and regional workforce grants, and adopted a new county ordinance to implement a state-required property-fraud referral and review process.

The board voted to approve a 2026 general-maintenance resolution in the amount of $1,000,000 after committee review. Finance and administrative committees also presented a proposed levy figure (discussed at a committee level as a $46,000,000 levy producing an illustrative $872,286 figure), and board members asked staff, the sheriff and finance director to prepare options on 9‑1‑1/ETSB funding and a potential longer-term allocation formula before the next meeting.

Emergency management reported several capacity upgrades: the county’s hazard‑mitigation work has been accepted by FEMA and the director is rewriting the emergency operations plan for state approval; the county installed a new weather station and is transitioning its emergency notification platform, a move the director said will save about $5,000 annually and has already enrolled more than 300 residents. The emergency office also purchased a portable Starlink unit to provide a backup internet link for the emergency operations center.

Planning and zoning committee members reviewed multiple commercial solar applications, including the Lewis Creek and Brager Power projects, and flagged outstanding issues concerning surface drainage, battery-storage siting, conditional-use permitting and coordination with drainage districts and local fire districts. Committee members noted Ameren interconnection-deposit deadlines that affect project timing and discussed how repower work at existing wind sites may require permits or new conditions.

In public comment, Derek Kraus of KrauszK9 urged local regulation of dog training businesses and outlined a licensing proposal that would require a business entity, minimum age, training experience and a humane‑use agreement; he said he plans to pursue state-level action with his senator.

Under new business the board considered an ordinance to implement a state public act requiring a property-fraud referral and review process. The ordinance mirrors language used in neighboring counties and would allow county staff to initiate reviews of documents recorded in the clerk’s office that appear potentially fraudulent, and would permit the state’s attorney to pursue court action where warranted. The measure includes a property-fraud alert sign‑up for residents and a schedule of fines (discussed in committee as roughly $300 for a first offense, $500 for subsequent offenses and up to $1,000 thereafter). The ordinance will be published with the statutorily required notice period; county staff indicated an effective date target of April 1, 2026.

Other routine items approved or forwarded by the board included intergovernmental highway agreements with neighboring counties, forwarding claims and committee reports, and updates from public-health and animal-control staff on inspections and intake statistics.

Votes at a glance

- Proclamation recognizing Cissna Park girls volleyball state championship (motion moved by Hughes, seconded by Munsterman) — adopted by roll call (recorded as unanimous 'yes' responses). - Approval of minutes and payroll — adopted (voice vote/roll call recorded in the minutes). - Resolution: 2026 general-maintenance, $1,000,000 — approved by roll call. - Resolution: acting county engineer authorization — approved by roll call in committee and sent to the board for approval. - Intergovernmental highway agreement (with Ford County, etc.) — approved by committee and forwarded to the board. - Ordinance: property-fraud referral and review (to implement state act effective 01/01/2026; county target effective date April 1, 2026 after required notice) — motion made and seconded; board discussed fines and procedures and moved to adopt (vote recorded as carried).

What’s next

Board members asked staff to return with specific fiscal options for 9‑1‑1 funding and a draft publication schedule and implementation steps for the property-fraud ordinance. Several planning and zoning items (notably the Lewis Creek and Brager Power solar applications) were left with staff and committee for follow-up on drainage, fire‑district coordination and permitting conditions.

(Reporting from the Iroquois County Board meeting; direct quotes and procedural record are from board minutes and public meeting remarks.)