McDonough County Board Human Resources and Planning Committee met Feb. 12.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
The Human Resources and Planning Committee met on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was held at the McDonough County Courthouse, 3rd Floor, Law Library. Committee Members in attendance included Chair Ken Durkin, Vice Chair Vicky Kipling, Mike Kirby, Jerry Raby, Ryan Litchfield, Dana Walker and John Vigezzi. Others in attendance included Karen Blakeley, Bonnie Skripps, County Chair Eric Blakeley, and Deputy County Clerk Kyah Beck. Members absent were Clayton Cook and Allen Henderson.
Chair Durkin called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Review and Approve Minutes from January, 2026
Member Walker moved with a second by Member Raby to approve the minutes as submitted with corrections. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Animal Control Report
Received and filed. There was 23 dogs and 8 cats in the shelter at the end of January.
Humane Society
Bonnie Skripps spoke about the upcoming casino event in March. All contributions will go toward the animal shelter. A new shelter is still in the planning stages. The current decision is whether to renovate an existing building or construct a new one. Building a new facility would be more expensive than using a pre-existing structure
Policies and Procedures
None.
GIS Update
None.
Approval of HR & Planning Claims
Member Litchfield moved with a second by Member Raby to approve the HR & Planning claims as submitted. Motion carried on a voice vote.
Other Items as Needed
During the Building and Grounds Committee meeting, Chad Wilson, the Maintenance Director, informed the committee about the space heaters currently being used in the courthouse. Due to their high wattage, the breakers have been tripping. This issue was brought to the HR and Planning Committee to develop a heater policy that would allow only 55- watt heaters. Chad will be required to approve each heater. The written policy will be reviewed by the Building and Grounds Committee and the HR and Planning Committee in March.
Michael Kirby informed the committee that Chad Sperry, the WIU GIS Coordinator, will be making a presentation at the County Board meeting on February 18th.
Executive Session
None.
Public Comment
None.
County Board Chair Comments
Eric Blakeley let the committee know that a new wind and solar ordinance will have to be written due to the State enacting new legislation. Ken Durkin went through what changes will have to be made.
Adjourn
Member Kipling moved with a second by Member Kirby to adjourn the meeting at 7:34 p.m. Motion carried on a voice vote.
http://mcg.mcdonough.il.us/documents/2026%20Minutes/2026-02-12%20HR%20&%20Planning.pdf
