County Board Approves Major Code Updates, Discusses Employee Benefits
The Will County Board Executive Committee approved several ordinance updates Wednesday while engaging in detailed discussions about employee compensation and benefits.
The committee passed ordinances updating three chapters of the county code, including revisions to personnel regulations, emergency management agency structure, and public records procedures. The updates include changing the Emergency Services and Disaster Management Agency to the Emergency Management Agency and updating various statutory references throughout the code.
A significant discussion emerged regarding longevity pay for county employees during review of the personnel regulations chapter. Board member Jim Richmond raised concerns about the cost of longevity payments, which he calculated at approximately $340,000 annually based on the 2025 budget.
The county currently provides two types of longevity pay: a modest payment starting at $6 per month after three years of service (maxing out at $40 per month), and a $200 monthly payment for employees who reach the top of their pay scale. Richmond suggested the board should examine these costs in future budget discussions.
“We’ve gone from like four or $500,000 to three-quarters of a million dollars in just the past three or four years,” Richmond said, noting the increases have accelerated as the $200 payments expanded.
The committee also approved contracts totaling $1,725,000 for workforce development programs with Joliet Junior College, including $1,300,000 for youth occupational training and $425,000 for work readiness programs.
Other approved items included property acquisition contracts for a new highway maintenance facility in Monee totaling $545,000, and funding for River Valley Detention Center improvements including a $180,000 body scanner and $136,000 in structural modifications to comply with state juvenile justice standards.
The committee also approved appointments to the Lockport Cemetery Association and METRA Commuter Rail Board.
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Manhattan School Board Votes to Adopt ‘Committee of the Whole’ Meeting Structure
Elite private colleges can’t cap off price-fixing collusion class action
Illinois Quick Hits: GOP gubernatorial forum set for Monday
Lincoln-Way Board Approves Girls Flag Football for 2026-2027 Season
WATCH: Ives investigates tax dollars for NGOs; Republicans say Pritzker raising energy prices
ICE hiring ban bill reignites SAFE-T Act fight at Illinois Capitol
Executive Committee Advances Dissolution of Southeast Joliet Sanitary District
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Legislative Committee for January 6, 2026
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Capital Improvements & IT Committee for January 6, 2026
Public Works Committee: $18.8 Million Contract Awarded for Lorenzo Road Bridge Over BNSF Railway
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Public Health & Safety Committee for January 7, 2026
Executive Committee: Relaxes Rules for Retiring Employee Proclamations
Lobbyist Updates: State Session Resumes; Transit Safety Concerns Raised
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Finance Committee for January 6, 2026