Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee for August 12, 2025

The Will County Ad-Hoc Ordinance Review Committee advanced several updated chapters of the county’s public works code during its August 12 meeting, addressing topics from solid waste to waste hauler reporting. The committee approved sending an amended solid waste ordinance to the Executive Committee, which doubles violation fines and adds new reporting requirements for the Landfill Committee. More information on the solid waste ordinance changes is available in a separate article.

A major discussion regarding the county’s liability for septic system soil tests led the committee to postpone its review of the sewer and sewage ordinance. The committee requested that a representative from the Will County Health Department attend its next meeting to provide further clarification. A full report on this decision is available in a standalone story. The committee also approved the repeal of an obsolete 1972 ordinance concerning fire hydrants and advanced minor updates to ordinances governing water wells and waste hauler reporting. Due to time constraints, the committee did not begin its review of the lengthy stormwater management (Chapter 55) and permit and access control (Chapter 56) ordinances.

Purchasing Ordinance Error to Be Corrected
Assistant State’s Attorney Philip Mock informed the committee of an error in the purchasing ordinance that was recently approved. The version reviewed and sent forward was an initial draft, not the final version that had been amended on the floor of the County Board. Mock apologized for the mistake and stated that the corrected ordinance will be brought back to the committee at its September meeting for proper review and approval.

Committee Adopts Flexible Start Time
The committee agreed to a new scheduling policy to make better use of its time. In the future, if the Landfill Committee, which meets at 9 a.m. just before the Ordinance Review Committee, cancels its meeting, the Ordinance Review Committee will begin its meeting at 9 a.m. instead of its usual 10 a.m. start time. Staff will provide the committee with at least two weeks’ advance notice of the time change on the meeting agenda.

July 22 Minutes Approved
The committee voted unanimously to approve the meeting minutes from its previous session on July 22, 2025. The motion was made by Member Mica Freeman and seconded by Member Sherry Newquist.

Stormwater and Access Ordinances Tabled
The committee postponed its review of two of the largest and most complex items on its agenda: Chapter 55 (Stormwater Management) and Chapter 56 (Permit and Access Control Regulations). Due to a scheduled noon start for a Committee of the Whole meeting, members agreed it was a good stopping point and would tackle the extensive chapters at a future meeting.