County Board meets on stormy night

A tornado warning that triggered the emergency sirens in Pontiac was a prelude to the Livingston County Board meeting on Thursday, June 11. That proved to be the excitement of the evening as the actual meeting was rather basic.

There were eight action items that were addressed. Of these, four were approved unanimously. Items approved with no dissent from the Finance Committee came a Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Amendment, and the authorization of a loan to the veterans Assistance Fund from Pontiac Host. There was a work order change for work on the Historic Courthouse Roof Project that was approved out of the Property Committee.

The Rules, Legislation, Veterans and Community Services Committee saw its proposed intergovernmental agreement with the city of Gibson City and an agreement with Gibson City Telecare Services, Inc. pass unanimously. However, the service agreement with Futures Connections passed by a 15-1 count with Dan Myers of District 2 providing the single nay vote.

Agriculture and Zoning Chairman Mike Haag of District 2 provided three motions relating to solar energy farm extensions. The resolutions affect Granite Solar, Old 66 Solar and Junegrass Solar. They were voted on as one, passing by an 11-5 count. Voting against were Myers, James Blackard (District 1), Gina Maker (District 1), Bill Mays (District 1) and Linda Ambrose (District 3). Jason Barickman (District 2) and Rebekah Fehr (District 3) were absent. Voting yes for everything were, from District 1, Chairman Jim Carley, Jack Vietti and Marty Fannin; from District 2, Vice Chairman Steven Lovell, Bob Weller, Mike Haag and Gerald Earring; from District 3, Craig Monson, Leroy Rodriguez, Paul Ritter and Seth Welch.

Richard Proffer, University of Illinois Extension-Community and Economic Development, and Kat Johns, from Illinois State University provided the board with a presentation dealing with mapping vertical access and the Illinois Broadband Lab.

In Public Comment, Ritter read a lengthy prepared statement regarding the board’s approval of Anthony Tomkiewicz as the county’s state’s attorney.

He addressed that there have been allegations floating around regarding the appointment of Tomkiewicz. He stated emphatically that the process was above board with no behind-closed-doors deal-making taking place.

“What concerns me is the repeated practice of presenting speculation as if it was evidence. There is a significant difference between asking questions and making accusations; a difference between suspicion and proof; a difference between disagreeing with the decision and alleging misconduct,” Ritter said.

Ritter’s remarks came on the heels of comments and speculations made on social media centered on the hiring of Tomkiewicz at the May 14 County Board meeting.

Tomkiewicz is filling the term of Mike Regnier, who resigned after becoming an associate circuit judge.The next County Board meeting will take place on July 16.