County Board - Committee of the Whole, 10-15-26

McHenry County Committee of the Whole meeting, October 15, 2026: The main discussion concerned the FY2027 budget and a reported $7.3 million funding gap. The proposed budget included a 2.7% CPI property-tax levy increase plus new growth, $2 million in ARPA interest, $500,000 in additional sales-tax revenue, $315,000 in court-fee revenue, and an estimated $50,000 from a proposed hotel/motel tax requiring later board action. Other measures discussed included a $1.5 million reduction in the transfer to capital, use of RTA funds for eligible public-safety or transportation purposes, and roughly $110,000 from fund balance. Board members debated whether to require further department reductions and how to limit reliance on one-time revenues; no budget or procurement vote was taken at this meeting. The budget was expected to go to a 30-day review at the upcoming voting meeting, with further discussion anticipated in November. The CFO also cautioned that using the full $2.5 million of ARPA interest could require selling investments before maturity and realizing losses; a possible RTA loan was raised but left for further review.

Other topics included residents’ requests for county rules on firearm use on private property in unincorporated areas, a data-center moratorium ordinance scheduled for Tuesday (with a related presentation postponed), and a warning that federal grant rules taking effect December 11 could affect county programs. NAMI McHenry County described its expanded 24/7 Living Room program, supported by a state grant, and a regional school-safety presentation described collaborative training and coordination conducted at no additional taxpayer cost. No contract awards, RFP decisions, vendor selections, or purchasing approvals were identified.