Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Executive Committee for May 14, 2026

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | May 14, 2026

The Will County Board Executive Committee held a four-hour-plus meeting on May 14, 2026, dominated by a deeply contested vote on the 6,099-acre Pride of the Prairie commercial solar project in Manhattan, Green Garden and Wilton townships, which the committee recommended for approval to the full County Board on a 6-5 split. Members also moved a Harris Drive stormwater buyout proposal toward state and federal grant funding, opened an introductory discussion on creating a Will County-focused land bank, and split sharply over whether to put a referendum on single-member districts before voters in November. Six ordinance amendments and six appointment resolutions also moved forward; a seventh appointment resolution was removed from the agenda at the chair’s request.

$96,673 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Split with Joliet

The committee unanimously recommended approval of Resolution 26-4719, authorizing County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Joliet to share the FY2025 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant on a 50-50 basis. The two governments were named disparate partners by Congress for the program and received a joint allocation of $96,673. The City of Joliet will act as fiscal agent and submit quarterly reporting on behalf of both governments; each entity will receive $48,836.50. Will County’s share will be used by the Will County Sheriff’s Office for purchase of modern tactical ballistic vests and ballistic plate inserts for its SWAT team, according to the resolution.

Six Code Amendments Approved on Consent

The committee approved seven ordinance amendments updating various sections of the Will County Code under recommendations from the Ad Hoc Ordinance Review Committee chaired by Jackie Traynere. The amendments cover Title XI Business Regulations — including Chapter 110 on Alcoholic Beverages (26-4240-02), Chapter 120 on Sales and Possession of Tobacco Products and Alternative Nicotine Products (26-4250-01), and Chapter 121 on Video Gaming (26-4251-01) — as well as Title XIII Offenses Against County Regulations, covering Chapter 130 (26-4425), Chapter 131 on Offense Involving Minor (26-4455), Chapter 132 on Drug Offense (26-4457-01) and Chapter 133 on Offenses Against the Public Peace (26-4458). Ogalla asked why the Chapter 131 amendment uses age 10 as a threshold, and the state’s attorney’s office explained that the age delineation is set by state statute and applies because the underlying section of the county code references that statutory framework.

Six Appointments Confirmed by County Executive

The committee recommended approval of six executive appointments by Bertino-Tarrant. Anthony Deliberto II was reappointed to the Joliet Regional Port District through June 1, 2032; Victor Lopez was newly appointed to the Elwood Fire Protection District through May 7, 2029 ($1,000 annual compensation); and Dawn Fazio was reappointed to the Rockdale Fire Protection District through May 7, 2029. Three appointments were approved to the Will County Historic Preservation Commission: reappointments of Michael Flanagan and Christina Holston through December 31, 2030, and the new appointment of Judy Mitchell through December 31, 2028, to fill the vacancy left by Pamela Owens. Dr. Gary Lipinski and Dr. Billie Terrell were reappointed to the Will County Board of Health through June 1, 2029. Brian Shanahan was newly appointed to the METRA Commuter Rail Board for a three-year term beginning September 1, 2026, at the $15,000 annual compensation set for directors. Item 7 on the agenda was removed at the chair’s request at the request of several members; the chair did not detail the specific concern.

Committee Chair Reports

Frankie Pretzel, chair of Land Use and Development, said the committee voted to approve three of four solar projects on its agenda last Thursday and voted against the fourth on both its commercial solar and battery energy storage components; he noted the agenda is otherwise non-contentious. Newquist said Finance heard a first round of department budget presentations and unanimously approved Resolution 26-4784 establishing a policy of rounding down to the nearest five cents on cash tax transactions in response to the discontinuation of the penny; the financial impact was characterized as negligible. Traynere reported that Public Works and Transportation heard extensive testimony on roadside camera use; she said a board member has begun drafting an ordinance to set rules for license-plate readers in light of an intergovernmental agreement template circulated by the chief of staff. Winfrey, who chairs Legislative, said the committee took up resolutions opposing SB 3445/HB 4402 (Kidney Disease Treatment Delegation Act), supporting the We Are Counties Program (26-4804) and supporting a ban on cryptocurrency kiosks within Will County (26-4756). Oxley, who chairs the Landfill Committee, said the gas plant compressor has been ordered and the committee expects to issue a request for qualifications for installation contractors by September; the June Landfill Committee meeting has been canceled.