Property committee adopts emergency appropriation to close McLean County 2025 budget

The McLean County Property Committee adopted an emergency appropriation ordinance to amend the county’s fiscal year 2025 combined annual appropriation and budget, enabling staff to close out 2025 accounts. The motion was made by Member Bangert, seconded by Member Bell, and carried by voice vote.

Joseph Gaither, director of facilities and management, told the committee the appropriation is a routine year‑end action to reconcile budget variances and close the 2025 books. In response to questions about drivers of the variance, Gaither singled out an unusually large electricity-cost spike in 2025. “A megawatt in the ’25 was $666.50 … as opposed to the 2024 where it was $30,” Gaither said, calling that change “an anomaly.” He said staff are forecasting based on prior years and hope not to see a repeat spike.

Chair Layman and other members asked how energy-rate uncertainty might affect 2026 budgeting. Gaither said staff are relying on historical trends but acknowledged there is no guarantee rates will remain stable. The committee approved the emergency appropriation by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded on the public audio transcript.

The ordinance will be processed through the county’s normal appropriation records; staff did not provide a line‑item dollar total during the public presentation. Gaither also provided brief updates on other facilities work (window replacement and LED lighting at 200 West Front Street) and said energy-efficiency measures have begun to show reduced usage despite last year’s cost spike.