OREGON — At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Ogle County Board approved the setting of elected official salaries for the Ogle County circuit clerk and coroner through fiscal year 2028 by a vote of 14-8 with one board member abstaining. 

Voting against the new elected official salaries ordinance were Board Members Jeff Billeter (R-Byron), Marcia Heuer, (R-Oregon), Skip Kenney (R-Rochelle), Bruce Larson (R-Stillman Valley), Patricia Nordman (R-Oregon), Zach Oltmanns (R-Davis Junction), Joseph Simms (R-Rochelle) and John Finfrock (R-Mt. Morris). Board Member Wayne Reising (R-Oregon) abstained from the vote due to his business representing the coroner. 

The Ogle County circuit clerk will make $92,318 in fiscal year 2025, a two percent increase from the year prior. The circuit clerk also receives a state stipend of $6,500 each year. The circuit clerk's yearly salary is based on an annual review. 

The Ogle County coroner will make $66,423 in fiscal year 2025, a one-percent increase from the year before. The base salary for the coroner will be $65,766 starting Dec. 1, 2024. The coroner will receive one-percent salary increases each year through fiscal year 2028. The coroner also receives a state stipend of $6,500 each year.

ARPA

The board unanimously approved five American Rescue Plan Act funding requests totaling $26,734. The requests included $7,000 for tuck pointing work at the Ogle County Jail, $1,976 for a lift for the historic courthouse, $6,593 for cement work at Focus House, $6,815 for a door replacement and security at Focus House, and $4,350 for work on a plaster wall at the courthouse. 

Audit

The board heard a presentation on its annual financial report from Lauren Allen of Sikich, LLC, the county's auditor. The county received an unmodified opinion and Sikich found that the county's financial statements present its financial position fairly.

The county expended $1.284 million in federal COVID-19 Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery funds during the fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2023, which was studied in the audit.

Housing

The board unanimously approved a resolution to opt out of Preferential Assessment for Affordable Rental Housing Construction and Rehabilitation. That program is aimed at encouraging affordable rental housing for low-income households and has not seen any interest in Ogle County.

The county still had to submit paperwork for the program despite no participation locally but will no longer have to after opting out. Ogle County will retain the right to opt back into the program.