Ella Tinsley has the wrap for WROY/WRUL News…
The Road Commissioner meeting preceding the Hamilton County Board meeting covered budget constraints, bridge repairs, and upcoming road projects. Officials affirmed that Dale Road improvements would begin August 31, as previous attempts were impeded by inclement weather. As such, the project will continue weather permitting, with completion expected by mid-September. The Roseville Road project was awarded and is scheduled to start around September 14.
In other projects, a bridge replacement on Army Navy Road will be funded through the Township Bridge Program at no cost to the township. Routine mowing, riprap placement, and equipment replacement were also discussed, along with declining property tax revenue and budget pressures.
Construction of the new highway facility is progressing despite weather delays, with completion hoped for before December. The meeting adjourned without new business. The next meeting is scheduled for September 16, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
The Hamilton County Board meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, a roll call of board members and approval of the previous meeting’s minutes. Public participation highlighted the accomplishments of local 4-H Club members, who spoke about their experiences at the state fair including awards, internships and educational opportunities. “My name is Charlotte Willis. I went to the State Fair this year. I’ve been going there for quite a few years now and every time I go it’s just great to see all the 4-Hs are there and see all kinds of projects they show.” Two other 4-H kids shared her sentiment, “Even we learn different skills when we’re there, and it’s really fun to like see what kids know and what you can teach them.” Said Laney Davis when discussing some of the classes she and Charlotte aid in teaching to younger kids. The youngest presenter was 4-H student, Ainsley who shared how much fun she had at the state fair, “And I got the Inspire Award because they got really inspired because of my Rice Krispie treats.”
Several county departments submitted reports during the meeting. The County Clerk reported that vote-by-mail mailings cost approximately $5,000 and encouraged residents who do not wish to receive future mailings to return the appropriate opt-out forms. The Emergency Telephone
System Board was scheduled to meet the following day, while the Health Department and Animal Control reported no significant new developments. The board also recognized a member for completing a significant number of service hours.
Financial management was a central topic of discussion. During the Administrative Services Report, the representative from Bellwether LLC noted that the Treasurer’s Association reviewed proposed and recently enacted legislation involving tax redemptions, liability and the tax-sale process. The county considered assigning a trustee to manage tax sales, “So communication from the Treasurer’s Association is that this is a good thing for both the county in loss of liability and labor of doing the tax sale as well as the tax or the rates that are applied to the tax redemptions are lower also so the taxpayer also is getting a lower rate. So there’s positives on both sides,” a representative of Bellwether LLC explained. Such an arrangement could reduce the county’s liability, although it might also delay the distribution of tax revenue.
County officials also discussed revenue shortfalls and the need to reduce expenses. Without spending reductions, the county could face pressure to increase the property-tax rate. A draft budget is currently being prepared as officials work to balance county operations with the need to limit the impact on taxpayers.
The board approved a series of routine items through its consent agenda. These included accepting checks from the Health Department, the City of McLeansboro and the State Board of Elections; approving a mortgage release; adopting mileage-rate changes; and reviewing tax and safety-related payments.
Among the meeting’s new business, board members approved a $2,500 sponsorship for the 2026 Fall Festival at the request of the Kiwanis Club. Finally, the board also passed an ordinance assigning a trustee to oversee tax sales and approved the list of election judges who will serve from 2026 through 2028.