Operations & Administrative/Finance 10/2/26

At Winnebago County, Illinois’ Operations & Administrative Committee meeting on October 2, 2026, members approved a resolution seeking a $126,000 Illinois Department of Transportation grant for one light-duty rural transit bus; the grant was described as fully covering the vehicle cost. The transit operator reported 557 rides in the first quarter and discussed expanded service into Rockford and possible transfer of program oversight to the transit district beginning July 1, 2027. The committee also approved a Durand-county intergovernmental agreement allowing grant-funded home repairs for two unincorporated properties, at no county cost, with county permit fees waived up to $2,000 per property.

The committee approved several benefits-administration agreements following competitive proposals: a two-year agreement with Professional Benefit Administrators (PBA) for dental-plan administration, selected from three responses, and a two-year agreement with Diversified Benefit Services for FSA and COBRA administration, selected after review of four options. It also approved renewal of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s third-party administration agreement, with a negotiated 2% increase estimated at about $15,000 annually, and renewed the Medicare supplement and prescription plan with MWIN’s Group Benefits; the latter carries no county cost but about a 7.6% increase for participating retirees. Members discussed the 324 Chestnut Street parking lot lease, unpaid rent and past amounts due, and an estimated $38,000 in repairs. Staff will pursue discussions with RAVE and Urban Equities and bring parking-management proposals back to the committee; no repair contract or new parking agreement was approved. The committee also approved a resolution urging state action on a property-tax law’s financial impacts on counties.