# Stephenson County IL Public Works Committee Meeting 10-8-26

The Stephenson County Board Public Works Committee met October 8, 2026. The committee approved the Animal Control budget as presented and recommended a 2.5% county tax-levy increase for further consideration by the Finance Committee; the allocation among highway, bridge, and other funds remained under discussion. Members debated highway equipment needs, including snow equipment quoted at $135,815, a chip spreader, and a pickup truck, with some members objecting to the timing of a truck purchase alongside a tax increase. No equipment purchase was approved at this meeting. The committee also reviewed ongoing road and bridge work, including Orangeville Road improvements and the second Shippy Road bridge project. A revised estimate for the Florence Becker School bridge was noted, and the Farwell bridge estimate was approximately $1.6 million, with 80% expected to be funded; an updated estimate was still pending.

The committee approved a $50,000 increase to its 2026 engineering agreement for construction and preliminary engineering work, bringing the agreement above its original $100,000 amount. It also approved an increase to the price cap under its three-year fuel contract with Saunders Oil: the cap was described as rising from roughly $161,000 to about $255,000, effective January 1. The committee noted that this cap reflects maximum potential usage rather than a guaranteed expenditure. Claims were approved, but the amount was unclear in the transcript.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 08, 2026

### Sources
- [Stephenson County IL Public Works Committee Meeting 10-8-26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VssfIWhKYo) - Stephenson County Board