Winnebago County Government

10/09/2026

WINNEBAGO COUNTY BOARD RECAP: Thursday, October 8, 2026

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr. L.C. Wilson spoke on two upcoming veterans events:
- Top of Illinois Veterans Stand Down: Friday, October 30, 9 a.m. to noon, Second First Church, 318 N. Church St. Free services including lunch, haircuts, shots, and clothing. Bring a DD214 or veteran ID.
- Veterans Ball: Saturday, November 21, Embassy Suites. Social hour at 5 p.m., dinner and program at 6 p.m. Tickets $60 or $450 for a table of eight, benefiting local veterans programs and the veterans drop-in center.

PUBLIC SAFETY STAFFING AND GRANTS
- Approval for the State's Attorney's Office to replace two assistant state's attorneys who resigned and to move an employee from an expiring grant-funded role into a vacant budgeted position, within the FY2027 budget.
- $56,514 in grant funding, through the City of Rockford, for a multidisciplinary team response to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence, shared by the State's Attorney's Office and Probation.
- $48,824 in renewed grant funding for a program serving justice-involved people with co-occurring disorders.

RURAL TRANSPORTATION
The Board authorized an application to IDOT for a grant to cover an additional ADA-compliant vehicle (about $126,000) for the Rural Winnebago County Public Transportation program, with no budget impact to the County. Ridership is trending upward, and this would bring the program to four vehicles. For more info on our Rural Transit program: https://reaganmtd.gov/local-travel/about-local-travel/

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: SAVINGS AND A SMALLER INCREASE
The Board renewed the Amwins Medicare supplement and prescription plan for retirees, which is fully paid by participants at no cost to the County. It approved new agreements with Professional Benefit Administrators for dental plan administration (estimated savings of $37,000 a year) and Diversified Benefit Services for FSA and COBRA administration (estimated savings of $2,500 a year). The Blue Cross Blue Shield administration renewal came in at a 2% increase, down from the original 3.5% proposal.

HOME REPAIRS IN THE DURAND AREA
The Board approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Durand for a $350,000 Illinois Housing Development Authority home repair and accessibility grant. Two of the approved homes are outside village limits, so the County stepped in. As amended, the County will waive its permit fees up to $2,000 per property, so more grant dollars go into the repairs themselves.

PROPERTY TAX CODE: ASKING SPRINGFIELD TO FIX AN UNFUNDED MANDATE
The Board approved a resolution calling on the Governor and the Illinois General Assembly to amend Public Act 104-0553 (House Bill 4537). The new law gives former property owners a way to recover surplus equity lost through the tax deed process, but it makes counties pay those claims, including cases where a private buyer purchased the delinquent taxes and took the deed with no county involvement. The resolution acknowledges the reasons behind the change in law but says it does not account for the financial burden placed on counties, which could cost Winnebago County taxpayers millions. It also invites other Illinois counties to join the effort to amend the law.

FY2027 HIRING POLICY
A proposed policy requiring County Board approval for hiring unfilled or new budgeted positions in FY2027 was sent back to the Finance Committee for further work.

COMING UP
- Economic Development Committee: Tuesday, October 13, 5:30 p.m., third floor of the Administration Building
- Public Safety and Judiciary Committee: Wednesday, October 14
- County offices are closed Monday, October 12. The Election office will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Next County Board meeting: Thursday, October 22, 6:00 p.m., County Board Room, 8th Floor, Courthouse

Meeting agendas and minutes can be found here: https://wincoil.gov/government/meeting-agendas-minutes

Watch the video of the 10/8/26 meeting here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/SXYRKB-YhF8?si=Vz-SraMS7_6zKra6

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/08/2026

RURAL TRANSIT: Reagan Mass Transit District (Reagan MTD) and Rural Winnebago County Public Transport (RWCPT) make it easier to get where you need to go for work, school, shopping, healthcare, and everyday errands.

Whether you’re scheduling transportation to medical appointments or looking for a reliable commute, our shuttle bus service offers flexible local travel options. Learn about our Medical Rides and Employees & Employers Ride to discover how we help riders reach essential destinations.

Transportation is available for riders of all ages and abilities. Comfort and service animals are welcome.

Schedule A Ride:

Ready to book your trip? Contact us to schedule your shuttle bus ride, ask questions about service availability, or learn more about our fares and local transportation options.

To help ensure your preferred pickup time is available, passengers are encouraged to call as soon as they are aware of the need for a ride.

Call: (815) 288-2117
TTY: (815) 288-9236

Hours of operation are Monday – Friday from 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Reagan MTD provides curb-to-curb shuttle bus service for local travel in Lee, Ogle, Whiteside, and Winnebago Counties in Illinois.

10/08/2026

COUNTY BOARD: Watch County Board on YouTube at 6 pm tonight.

County Board meetings are held in the County Board Room located in the Winnebago County Courthouse at 400 W. State Street, 8th Floor - Rockford, IL 61101 Meetin...

10/05/2026

ROADWORK: The sections of roads listed below will be intermittently under construction for asphalt overlays, patching, and other ancillary work. Work will start on October 6th with an expected completion date of October 30th, 2026; however, the duration of the work is weather dependent. Please use caution in construction areas.
• S. Perryville Rd, a section South of Harrison Ave and North of Armer Dr
• Winnebago Rd, from US Route 20 northerly for ¼ mile
• Telegraph Rd, from Main St to Jefferson St in the village of Pecatonica
• Montague Rd, curve at intersection with Osborne Rd

09/30/2026

815 HUNGER LUNCHEON: Thank you to everyone who joined us today for the 815 Hunger Luncheon.

This year, Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli joined the effort in the fight against hunger, with a goal of raising awareness and donations for the nine pantries in the Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition. Those pantries serve thousands of Winnebago County residents every year.

Congratulations to our 2026 Hunger Champion, Barbara Flores!

We are grateful to the Winnebago County leaders and staff who came out to support this cause. Pictured left to right:

Treasurer Theresa Grennan
Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives Marlana Dokken
Animal Services Director Jennifer Stacy
Court Services Director Debbie Jarvis
Chief of the Civil Bureau Lafaqueria Rueter
Assessor Tom Hodges
Executive Assistant Rita Bravo
IT Director Dan Magers
Coroner Jennifer Muraski
State's Attorney J. Hanley
Chairman Joseph Chiarelli
2026 Hunger Champion Barbara Flores
Sheriff Gary Caruana
Frank Flores
Community Development Director Ashley Spohr
Chief Deputy Rick Ciganek

A special thank you to the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois for once again supporting the Hunger Luncheon committee.

09/25/2026

BOARD MEETING: The County Board met Thursday evening, September 24, 2026, at the Winnebago County Courthouse, with 17 members present. Here are the highlights:

Operations and Administrative Committee (all approved)
- Ordinance establishing Circuit Clerk civil fees and criminal and traffic assessments, to comply with amendments to state law effective July 1, 2026.
- Purchase of Armor Express dual threat vests for the Sheriff's Office (31 vests), CIP 2026 funds: $44,882.
- Purchase of a Ford Maverick for the Facilities Department, CIP 2025 funds: $34,051.
- Concrete and sidewalk repairs on the north side of the Public Safety Building: County $141,014.25, City of Rockford $121,276.77.
- Intergovernmental agreement with the City of Rockford for reimbursement of the City's share of the sidewalk work.

Public Works Committee (all approved)
- 26-044 and 26-045: Agreements with Rockford Township ($25,000) and Rockford Township Highway Department ($100,000) toward the local match for Phase 1 of the Madigan Creek Restoration Project. The project is funded by a $1,179,000 IEPA grant with a $786,000 local match.
- 26-053: Agreement with Hey and Associates for construction inspection on Madigan Creek Phase 1: $30,000 ($18,000 grant, $12,000 County).
- 26-050: Purchase of two plow/dump truck bodies: $213,752.
- 26-051 and 26-052: Petitions to the Illinois Commerce Commission for railroad crossing improvements on Roscoe Road and Latham Road.
- 26-054: Bid award for replacing the Kelley Road box culvert over Sumner Creek, Seward Township: $473,014.10 (Township Bridge Program).
- 26-055: Agreement with Hutchison Engineering for construction engineering on the Kelley Road culvert: $49,377 (Township Bridge Program).
- 26-056: Bid award for Central Avenue drainage inlets: $112,628.
- 26-057: Supplemental appropriation of MFT funds for maintenance of county highways: $348,833.61 (not an addition to the budget).
- 26-058: Acquisition of land and property rights for one parcel needed for the Riverside Boulevard project.

Unfinished Business: FY2027 Annual Appropriation Ordinance
The Board adopted three amendments:
1. Veterans Assistance Commission: the levy remains unchanged, but spending authority is limited to 50% of the budgeted amount. The remainder may be released later in the fiscal year.
2. Emergency Services and Disaster Agency: adds one Assistant Coordinator position, bringing the department's staffing to two.
3. Hiring: no currently unfilled budgeted position in any county department, including elected officials' offices, may be filled without County Board approval.

The FY2027 Annual Appropriation Ordinance passed as amended, with two no votes.

The meeting was adjourned. Next meeting: October 8, 2026

Watch the meeting here:

09/24/2026

MADIGAN CREEK RESTORATION: Madigan Creek streambank restoration from Waterford Drive to Newburg Road will start on Monday, September 28th, 2026 with an expected completion date of Tuesday, June 1st, 2027; however, the duration of the work is weather dependent. Most of the restoration work will be completed within rear yard drainage easements; however, lane closures on South Bell School Road, Newburg Road, and other local roadways may be needed to access the project work area. Please use caution in construction areas. For information contact: Sean Von Bergen at [email protected]

09/22/2026

VOTE BY MAIL INFORMATION: Winnebago County Clerk Lori Gummow is reminding voters who have requested a Vote By Mail (VBM) ballot for the November 3, 2026 General Election that ballots will begin being mailed on Thursday, September 24.
September 24 is the first day Illinois election authorities may mail official VBM ballots to voters who have applied for a ballot. Voters who have already applied should not expect to receive their ballot before that date.
“Everything is in place for VBM, and our office will continue processing and mailing ballots according to the same established procedures we have used in previous elections,” said Clerk Gummow. “We are asking voters to be patient and to allow enough time for their ballot to travel through the mail.”
The U.S. Postal Service has made changes to its mail processing and transportation operations, and the Postal Service's 2026 election-mail guidance encourages election officials and voters to plan ahead when using the mail for election materials.
Voters should allow at least 10 to 14 days for their VBM ballot to arrive after it is mailed. A ballot that does not arrive immediately after September 24 does not necessarily indicate a problem with the voter's application or ballot.
The Clerk's Office encourages voters to plan ahead and return their completed ballots as early as possible. Voters who choose to return their ballot by mail should pay close attention to the return instructions included with their ballot.
“We understand that voters want to know when they can expect their ballot,” Gummow said. “Our message is simple: ballots begin mailing September 24, and we ask everyone to please allow sufficient time for postal delivery. Our office is committed to making sure voters have the information and opportunity they need to participate in the November 3 election.”
Illinois voters can also choose to vote early in person. Early voting begins September 24 at the office of the election authority, with additional early voting locations opening according to the published schedule. On Election Day, voters are encouraged to go to their designated precinct.
For VBM information, voter registration information, early voting locations and election-related updates, voters may visit the Winnebago County Clerk's website at clerk.wincoil.gov.
About Vote By Mail
Voting by mail is an option available to eligible Illinois voters who apply for a VBM ballot. The Illinois State Board of Elections identifies September 24, 2026, as the first day election authorities may mail ballots to domestic voters who have applied to vote by mail.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
To view races, candidates, voting information, and other election information, visit clerk.wincoil.gov. For additional questions, contact the Winnebago County Elections Office at (815) 319-4252.

09/16/2026

PAVEMENT PRESERVATION: The roads listed below will be intermittently under construction for crack/joint sealing work. This maintenance work will start on September 21th with an expected completion date of September 30th, 2026; however, the duration of the work is weather dependent. Please use caution in construction areas.

• Rockton Rd, from the Village of Rockton’s western limits to Meridian Rd
• Belvidere Rd, from IL RT 173 to Main St in the Village of Roscoe
• Elevator Rd, from Willowbrook Rd to County Line Rd
• Prairie Hill Rd, from IL RT 2 to IL RT 251
• Charles St, from Alpine Rd to Perryville Rd
• Mulford Rd, from Harrison Ave to rail road tracks
• Baxter Rd, from I-39 to Mulford Rd