The Iroquois County Finance/IT/Tax Committee reviewed proposed joint-dispatch fee allocations for fire, EMS and police and directed staff to prepare and send fee letters after reviewing contract details; the fire and EMS totals were presented and divided per department.

After a remand hearing limited to drainage, equipment manufacturers and a buffer variance, the Iroquois County Zoning Board of Appeals voted to recommend approval of the Lewis Creek (Allium) solar conditional-use permit to the county board subject to enforceable drainage and mitigation conditions proposed by the drainage district.

County attorney and planning staff told the Policy and Procedure Committee that two solar projects, including a roughly 4,000‑acre proposal, will go to the county board next week with draft conditions on decommissioning funds, drainage surveys, vegetative screening and emergency‑response reimbursements; nearby residents urged a delay until legally enforceable protections for district drain tile are provided.

Residents and drainage-district representatives told the Iroquois County Planning & Zoning Committee Feb. 3 they fear driven piles for large solar projects will damage subsurface drain tile and increase flooding, and urged stronger requirements for drainage agreements and full decommissioning funds; developers say they have revised plans and are working with the drainage district.

County highway committee approved several engineering agreements and petitions for county aid, including Hutchinson Engineering and Willard Hoffman agreements and petitions totaling several hundred thousand dollars and a $1.3 million petition for County Aid SN 038-4927.

EMA Director Scott Anderson reported four confirmed tornadoes in Iroquois County on Dec. 28 with no injuries; the public and board members questioned 4–7 minute delays in local siren activations after National Weather Service warnings.

The Planning & Zoning committee voted to deem multiple large solar applications complete and send them to public hearings after residents raised farmland, habitat and tax-base concerns and committee members flagged legal limits imposed by a recent state law.

At an Iroquois County Planning Commission hearing on Jan. 6, 2026, developer representatives said they seek a conditional use permit for a 4,468.2‑acre parcel with roughly 3,000 acres to be developed; residents warned of runoff, soil and economic harms while supporters cited millions in tax revenue and construction jobs.

At a Jan. 6 public hearing the Iroquois County Zoning Board of Appeals heard the developer of 2 Road Solar LLC describe a 398 MW, 4,468.25-acre project and its mitigation plans; neighbors questioned drain-tile protection, outreach and vegetation; the board combined three related agenda items for a single hearing and recessed without deciding the permit or variances.

After a regional provider ceased services, the county faces a 30-day gap in rural public transportation; board members discussed Danville Transit as a potential provider and organized a short-term volunteer/coordination plan through churches and social outreach.

Board members and residents expressed frustration that state rules limit local control over solar siting; one solar application was advanced to a ZBA public hearing while another failed to move forward, and members discussed forming a local advocacy group and contacting state and federal officials.

County emergency management reported four confirmed tornadoes on Dec. 28, no injuries, and identified delays in siren activation that in one case lagged warnings by nearly eight minutes; county staff said the issue is being investigated and will be addressed with dispatch.

Miss McKenna reported roughly $1.6 million in assessed-value reductions at final review so far, cited heavy residential appeals in specific townships, and said Walmart is filing appeals across Illinois; she warned reductions could trigger a state equalizer that would affect county reimbursement rates.

County received a Dec. 8 letter from the Illinois EPA requiring either a solid-waste plan update or a five‑year accounting within 90 days; staff will circulate prior plans for review. Separately, Planning & Zoning scheduled a hearing tomorrow for a proposed solar project of just over 4,000 acres in the Sysnet Park area.

Committee members announced a Tuesday 6 p.m. CBA meeting on a proposed solar project described as 'close to a 4,000 acre' development in the Cismet Park area and encouraged public attendance; room capacity was listed as 75.

At an Iroquois County planning and zoning meeting, residents urged the committee to block large solar farms that they say threaten farmland and community life. The committee deemed one US Solar/US Cellular 'Venus' application complete for a ZBA public hearing and voted down a second US Solar application.

At its Dec. 9 meeting the Iroquois County Board approved a $1,000,000 general-maintenance resolution, advanced a proposed levy, heard reports on emergency management upgrades and commercial solar proposals, and moved to implement a state-required property-fraud referral and review ordinance to take effect next spring.

The zoning committee found Ranger PowerRoad Solar's conditional-use application sufficient to schedule a public hearing for a project described as ~4,500 acres and ~398 megawatts, while flagging variances and state BESS standards that must be resolved before construction.

After extended debate over levy rates and fund allocations, the Iroquois County Board approved the FY2026 budget framework and several related resolutions, while commissioners reserved separate votes on specific line items tied to road and bridge funding.

County staff told the Planning and Zoning Committee that recent and pending state statutory changes narrow local discretion on renewable siting, create new appeal procedures and impose a 60-day hearing timeline. Staff recommended the committee and county prepare model ordinance language, particularly for battery storage, and expect substantial code

The Planning and Zoning Committee voted Nov. 4 to deem Ranger Power’s conditional use application for a roughly 4,500-acre solar project complete and forwarded it to the zoning authority for a public hearing. Staff said the developer must still file two variance requests (interconnect and drainage/tile survey) and complete those requirements before

County finance staff and board members spent an extended portion of the meeting debating how the proposed 2026 budget is presented, seeking clearer general-fund subtotals and explanations for negative totals that appear when special funds are aggregated. The board voted to place the proposed budget on public display while staff agreed to add pages/

The county’s planning and zoning committee moved to approve a conditional-use application for the Commerce Street (Lewis Creek) solar project and separately voted to change the permit term from 30 to 40 years so the permit aligns with lease terms on project lands. The committee also identified deficiencies in other solar applications and asked US‑S

A change in operational responsibility for monthly tornado-siren testing prompted discussion between emergency management and ETS/9‑1‑1 stakeholders. The board asked EMA and ETS staff to coordinate, create a shared reporting method and ensure jurisdictions get notification when a siren fails to activate.

The management committee reported a scheduled courthouse sound system installation, denied a tenant request to defer a payment, and said Ranger Tower’s application for a roughly 4,000‑acre solar project on the county’s east end was deemed complete and will go to a public hearing.