The McLean County Board unanimously approved all five items related to the 2026 budget at its meeting on Thursday.
No changes were made from the first presentation made in September. The $144.5 million budget calls for a nearly 5% increase — $7.2 million — over the previous budget, and is less than the $147 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year.
“Staff worked very hard this year,” said board chair Elizabeth Johnston. “I would like to applaud the staff for their excellent work in creating a budget that is well within reason, given the inflationary pressures that we all face.”
District 10 representative Mark Clauss said the county is continuing to work to improve the budget each year for property owners.
“Nobody cares that the tax rate goes down. They focus on how much they're paying. So people are concerned, and we've got to just do better at it. We won't fix it all [in] one year, but we've got to just keep making incremental improvements.”
A tax rate decrease of 5.2% is included in the budget, due to continued increases to equalized assessed values in McLean County. The owner of a $210,000 home will see their tax bill decrease by about $32., but some property owners may pay more year-over-year because of increases to assessed values of properties in the county.
Mahomet Aquifer
Also at the meeting, residents spoke in favor of restrictions to CO2 drilling under the Mahomet Aquifer and its recharge zones.
The state moved to codify protections for the aquifer in August, but recharge zones in McLean County were not included in such protections. While an outright ban is not within the county’s powers, it can consider narrow restrictions using legal zoning authority.
“Recharge areas feed aquifers,” said Dawn Dannenbring, policy director for Illinois People’s Action, during public comment. “It makes no sense to protect the aquifer, but allow the very waters that feed it to be polluted, that would pollute the aquifer itself.”
Dannenbring asked the county to pass an ordinance zoning carbon capture sequestration activities out of recharge areas in the county.
“I stand by the ordinance that we passed last year that the recharge zones really do deserve to be protected,” said Johnston. “The language of the state laws definitely deserves some review to determine if there are options for protecting the recharge zones. If we can get by with that, I would absolutely love to protect the recharge zones.”
Other business
In other action, the board:
— Learned that Design Mavens Architecture will plan the renovation of the historic building adjacent to the McLean County Nursing Home. The building was previously slated to be used as affordable senior housing before such a plan was scrapped.
— Approved the Blooming Grove Storage Energy Center in Chenoa. All county code standards for the wind farm-associated battery energy storage system [BESS] were met. “Which is a big step forward, and in our county's ability, to maximize the energy output for the wind and solar projects that we already have instead of building new ones,” said Lea Cline, chair of the land use and transportation committee.
— Was updated on Krystle Able’s board status. Her last day as District 4 representative is Friday. Able announced her resignation earlier this month to move closer to township offices, where she serves as supervisor, and Normal Township’s Activity and Recreation Center. Applications for those wanting to fill the vacancy are due by 4 p.m. Dec. 1. The appointment to fill the vacancy will be made Dec. 11.
