Kane County Board Chairman Delivers State of the County Address

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Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog delivered a State of the County address before an audience of more than 125 people, including business leaders, local elected officials, and community members. She highlighted the county's achievements, ongoing challenges, and vision for the future. The event, held on Sept. 25, was hosted by local chamber groups.

Pierog, who has led the 24-member board since 2020, pointed to important progress in economic development, infrastructure, public health, and sustainability. At the same time, she acknowledged that long-term financial pressures continue to pose serious challenges.

In her 40-minute presentation, Pierog emphasized that Kane County is facing a general fund budget shortfall for the fiscal year beginning Dec. 1. Since 2023, the county has managed annual budget gaps by drawing on its cash reserves.

She noted that the County Board has already taken steps to address the projected shortfall in FY 2026, including reallocating approximately $7 million from the Transportation Department to the General Fund to support public safety and court operations, as well as asking offices and departments to reduce their submitted budgets by 8 percent.

Despite these measures, Pierog cautioned that significant financial pressures remain. She pointed to the loss of federal pandemic relief funding and the failure of a proposed countywide sales tax referendum—which would have generated more than $50 million annually for public safety—as key challenges moving forward.

Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog shared the stage with several county staff members during her State of the County address, underscoring the progress being made across multiple sectors.        

Mark VanKerkhoff, Director of Kane County Development & Community Services, highlighted the launch of a new countywide economic development corporation, funded through federal recovery dollars and state grants. The initiative addresses a longstanding gap—Kane had been the only large county in Illinois without a coordinated economic development strategy. The new organization builds on a recently completed strategic plan and is expected to strengthen business growth across the region.    

Kane County has also partnered with the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership to attract and retain businesses regionally. Locally, investments in manufacturing, tourism, and recreation have been approved to expand job opportunities and support long-term growth.

VanKerkhoff noted that federal COVID recovery funds have already delivered significant results in manufacturing. Grants allocated to local companies have helped retain more than 556 jobs, create 326 new jobs, and assist 52 manufacturers in upgrading processes and expanding workforce development.

The county also continues to lead in farmland protection, with more than $32.6 million invested in Agricultural Conservation Easements through Kane County and the USDA.  Work is also underway on a new Housing Readiness Plan to guide efforts in supporting more affordable housing development.

Public safety remains another focus area. Pierog highlighted the growth of the Kane County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), which has expanded its volunteer program from 38 volunteers in 2022 (contributing 10,077 hours) to 70 volunteers in 2024 (13,422 hours). OEM also spearheaded the launch of Disaster Ready Kane, a coalition of community organizations that coordinate assistance for residents and businesses affected by disasters.

To further strengthen preparedness, the county recently unveiled a state-of-the-art Emergency Mobile Command Vehicle, which will serve as a forward base of operations during large-scale events, emergencies, and law enforcement activities.

Sustainability was another focus of the State of the County address, with Jodie  Wollnik, Executive Director of the Environmental & Water Resources Department, outlining Kane County's ongoing commitment to protecting natural resources and planning for the future.

Wollnik emphasized the county's efforts to ensure safe drinking water and secure long-term water supplies. Using federal funding, Kane County is gathering critical data to evaluate the sustainability of the St. Charles and other shallow groundwater units, re-sampling groundwater for potential contaminants, and establishing a real-time monitoring well network. The county is also working with municipalities to support water conservation initiatives.   

In addition, Wollnik highlighted the Kane County Climate Action Plan, which addresses emission reductions, green space expansion, waste management, and local food systems. Among the county's notable sustainability projects is the installation of 4,000 solar panels at the Kane County Judicial Center and Jail—now the largest behind-the-meter solar field in the county.

Kane County's recycling efforts are also growing. Two recycling centers, located in Geneva and West Dundee, serve roughly 11,000 visitors annually. In 2024 alone, the centers processed nearly 1 million pounds of materials, including electronics, paper, paint, and even bicycles.

Deputy Director of Transportation Tom Rickert outlined Kane County Division of Transportation's (KDOT) priorities during the State of the County address. He said the department remains focused on maintaining existing infrastructure, ensuring safety, supporting personal mobility, planning for growth, and improving efficiency while protecting the environment.

Rickert highlighted several ongoing and future projects, including the Countywide Recessed Reflective Pavement Marker Safety Project, the Bunker Road Extension with access to Metra's LaFox Station, and the Randall Road at IL 72 reconstruction and capacity improvement. Future engineering projects include Fabyan Parkway (IL 31 to IL 25), Galligan Road, the Kirk Road Bridge over UPRR, Randall Road at Big Timber Road, and multiple interchange upgrades along Randall Road.    

Despite progress, Rickert cautioned that KDOT faces significant financial challenges. These include shifting RTA sales tax revenues, unmet matching fund requirements, and the looming regional transit “fiscal cliff" that could reduce Pace and Metra service by up to 40 percent and potentially cut into RTA sales tax revenues Kane County currently receives.

Michael Isaacson, Executive Director of the Kane County Health Department, also spoke at the event, highlighting a wide range of initiatives in communicable disease control, epidemiology, food safety, immunizations, homelessness services, and violence prevention. He emphasized the department's development of innovative tools such as the Kane Health Atlas and Behavioral Health 360, while encouraging greater awareness of the national 988 mental health crisis hotline.  ​   

Chairman Pierog further recognized the work of Kane County Animal Control (KCAC), which cares for strays and lost pets while providing essential public services. So far in 2025, KCAC has facilitated 88 adoptions (36 dogs and 52 cats) and continues to offer low-cost rabies vaccination and microchipping clinics vaccinating on average about 302 dogs and 70 cats each year. These services help families keep their pets healthy and registered despite rising veterinary costs.

Kane County Board Chairman Pierog concluded her remarks by saying that Kane County is planning for the future with the purchase of a new 46,000-square-foot building in Elgin to expand county services for residents in the northern part of the county, as well as the launch of a comprehensive five-year strategic plan—the first since 2006. She also highlighted two modest goals, noting the county's budget challenges: a paid internship program for students and young professionals, and a garden to commemorate America's 250th birthday next year.