McLean County committee approves consent agenda, juvenile detention contract, children's advocacy funding and emergency court IT appropriation

A McLean County committee met and approved a series of routine and department-level measures, including a consent agenda recommending $626,564.58 in county bills and several departmental contracts and an emergency appropriation.

The committee chair opened the meeting at 4:00 p.m., confirmed a five-member quorum and approved member Hansen's request to attend remotely under board rule 2020. The consent agenda, which included minutes from the Jan. 7, 2026, regular meeting and the bills recommendation, passed on a voice vote following a motion by member Burns and second by member Roseman.

Court services presented two items that were approved without extended debate. The committee authorized a public-performance license agreement with Swank Motion Pictures to allow movies and educational videos at the county's juvenile detention center; the director said the per‑unit price rose from $500 in 2025 to $556 for 2026. The board also approved an intergovernmental agreement to sell one secured juvenile bed to Macon County for 2026 at the rate cited in the packet, $250 per day (the director cited an annual figure of $91,250). The motions for those items were moved by member Reeves and seconded (Swank: member Ziebart; bed sale: member Roseman) and were adopted by voice vote.

The committee approved a continuation contract/grant enabling the Children's Advocacy Center to maintain a satellite office in DeWitt County with funding from the DeWitt County Community Mental Health Board. The presenter said last year's grant totaled $1,111,100 and the current award includes an additional $12,300 described as covering increased rent and a portable internet device for the satellite office. Member Roseman moved the action and member Byrne seconded; the motion passed on a voice vote.

Sheriff Lane presented and the committee approved a resolution authorizing McLean County's participation in Illinois's emergency management mutual aid system, a continuation of an agreement the sheriff said has been in place since 2007. The sheriff also updated the committee on a delayed lighting project while the county seeks a consolidated vendor and reported upgrades in booking area security (one-way food/medication pass-throughs) paid for from behavioral health shared sales tax.

Circuit court leadership requested an emergency appropriation ordinance to replace aging courtroom and staff computing equipment after county IT changes delayed normal budgeting and procurement timelines. The circuit court indicated it manages hardware for 13 courtrooms, 13 judges and supporting staff and estimated roughly 122 computers/laptops with about 105 five years or older. Finance staff explained the requested action pulls $40,002.15 from the unappropriated fund balance to cover computers listed as under $1,000; the ordinance was moved by member Roseman, seconded by member Reeves, and approved on a voice vote.

Throughout the meeting presenters noted that monthly reports and statistics were available in the meeting packet; several offices had no items for action. Sheriff Lane also reported that DOC holds hover around 10–12 and that DHS-related holds and evaluations often leave roughly 300 people awaiting beds or fitness determinations at any given time, according to his account.

The committee set its next meeting for March 4 at 4 p.m. and adjourned. No substantive votes were tabled or postponed.