Finance committee approves $5,000 first-year pay for new solid-waste coordinator

The Iroquois County Finance Committee voted to set the first-year salary for a proposed solid-waste coordinator at $5,000, the chair announced after a motion, discussion and roll call.

Committee members debated the expected hours and the coordinator's primary duties, which the committee described as grant searching and program development to secure long‑term funding. "In order for this program to even get off, we need to figure out revenue source," the chair said, urging that the coordinator focus on locating match funds and grants. The committee discussed an initial program budget that included $8,000 for electronic recycling and estimated a $13,000 subtotal for startup-related items.

Members also questioned whether the county should hire an existing employee or contract the work; some said the role might require as little as two hours per week for research while others noted it could be more during active grant cycles. The motion to set the coordinator at $5,000 annually passed in roll call during the meeting; the committee directed staff to return with a job description and to revisit the compensation once revenue sources are identified.