# County Board - Special Meeting, 10-2-26

The McHenry County Board held a special budget meeting on October 2, 2026, focusing on the 2027 capital plan and a broader budget shortfall. Staff presented a revised list of priority capital needs centered on life safety, health, and security: facility cameras and a jail management system, firewalls set to expire in January 2027, and a $500,000 rooftop HVAC replacement. A roof project was deferred about three years after a contractor assessed its remaining service life, and planned government-center wireless hardware was postponed. Staff reported $3.568 million expected to remain in the capital fund for 2027, while members discussed a roughly $7.3 million overall budget gap.

The board discussed—but did not approve—a possible lease-to-own financing approach, with an initial bank quote of 4.98%; the illustrative terms included five years for some projects and three years for firewalls, with substantial interest costs. Members also considered using up to $2.5 million in ARPA interest, a possible $500,000 RTA transfer, and a one-time GIS transfer of about $400,000, alongside other budget reductions and revenue options. Separately, staff reported that the updated Lake County inmate-housing agreement had been signed and would begin January 1, increasing the rate from $100 to $107 per inmate per night for up to 150 inmates, with a possible additional 50 subject to operational constraints. No capital purchase or financing decision was made; staff were asked to model and circulate alternative scenarios for further review.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Information Technology, Public Safety, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 02, 2026

### Sources
- [County Board - Special Meeting, 10-2-26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do9Pd_6acpY) - McHenry County Meetings