November County Roundup

There is a separate post on the jail consolidation news at the last County Board meeting here (video, agenda packet). This post covers other County government news including: the elimination of the County Recorder office, updates on the appointment power fight between the County Executive and the Board, area homeless shelter updates, and many other items.

This will be the last month for the office of the Champaign County Recorder of Deeds after voters approved of consolidating the office within the Champaign County Clerk's Office. From the News-Gazette:

Under changes approved by voters in April, Ingram’s job will be eliminated, the recorder’s office staff and functions will be rolled into the clerk’s office and County Clerk Aaron Ammons will become clerk and recorder on Jan. 1, 2022.

The change is likely to be fairly seamless for the public, according to Ingram and Ammons.

[Recorder Mike Ingram] said the five staff members in the recorder’s office will remain in the same space at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana.

Full article available here.

There was movement in the ongoing dispute on appointment powers between the new County Executive and the County Board chair under the new County Executive form of government. This time it was a unanimous appellate decision in favor of the County Board and chair to make vacancy appointments on the Board. From the News-Gazette:  

The three-judge panel unanimously ruled that the board chair — not the county executive — has the authority to make appointments to fill elected offices that are vacated between elections.

In ruling for the board and against County Executive Darlene Kloeppel, the court overturned a local judge’s ruling in Kloeppel’s favor...

[County Board Chairman Kyle Patterson] said his position remains that he will appoint candidates chosen by the party’s central committee to fill vacancies. The appointment of [Wayne Williams] will likely come up in December, he said.

Reached Friday, Kloeppel hadn’t had time yet to read the decision but said she would likely appeal it.

Full article available here.

C-U at Home's plans for additional homeless shelter highlighted some use of federal COVID relief funding use by the County government. From Illinois Newsroom:

C-U at Home is seeking funds to build two, low-barrier shelters for the homeless.

The agency’s current year-round shelter for the homeless reopened in August as a sober shelter after a several-month closure due to staffing issues.

Unlike the agency’s sober shelter at 70 East Washington Street, these two shelters would provide services to those who deal with drug and alcohol addiction.

Kyle Patterson is the chair of the Champaign County Board. He says the board has a key role in funding this initiative.

Patterson says the County Board plans to donate $150,000 using COVID relief funds from the federal government.

More at that full article here. C-U at Home was also in the news recently with a new Executive Director. More at WCIA here. WCCU reported back in October that the Champaign Continuum of Service Providers noted Champaign County's need for more low-barrier housing here.

WCIA also had updates on the C-U at Home emergency winter shelters this year. 

In other County and area news:

• Smile Politely had an editorial with an analysis of the situation at the County's Animal Control office, raising questions on leadership and local media coverage.
• The recent News-Gazette's Tom's Mailbag column had two items on County government. One addressing the Circuit Clerk's expungement event and the other highlighting the County Clerk's Statements of Economic Interest portal during the previous office transition.
• WAND had updates on the Champaign County Sheriff's community engagement plan. WCCU had additional details here.
• WCIA reports Willard Airport among many Central Illinois airports getting State funding for improvements.
• There has been local and regional coverage of the coming African American Heritage Trail (Chicago Tribune articles are available on ProQuest with some local library cards) being established in Champaign County with the Visit Champaign County and local historians and family members of important pioneers, historical figures, and events here in Champaign County.
• There is a separate Cheat Sheet post on this past month's Champaign County Community Coalition meeting and news.