News story here.
Vermilion County Board members are closely watching legislation moving through the Illinois General Assembly. One bill, particularly, involves the site selection process for wind and solar projects. Vermilion County Board Chairman Larry Baughn stated after Tuesday’s (Jan 10th) County Board meeting that the county had passed an ordinance earlier regarding wind turbines.
AUDIO: About a year ago at this time; we had passed a resolution, an ordinance, to change some of our setbacks. We put a little more teeth into them and took them from 2.1 to, I think, three times the heighth of the tower. And now the legislature has passed, at least through the State Senate at this hour, to take it back down to 2.1, where we were to begin with. I’m going to assume, at this point, that someday it will be just like we operate the permitting of hog farms. And that is that the county will be obligated to hold a public hearing, but the county really will take no action.
Another wind farm has been eyeing an area of southern Vermilion County but has not filed any formal paperwork with the county to proceed
Also at their meeting Tuesday evening (January 10, 2023), board members approved changes in the Vermilion County Food Sanitation Ordinance. Farmers market permits for selling eggs, cheese, and frozen meat will now cost $50. And vendors who sell eggs only will pay $10 for their permit. The permits have been $125.
The County Board also heard from Finance Committee chairman Steve Miller that the county’s new fiscal year is off to a good start. Miller said 41 days into the new fiscal year he is happy to report there have been no unexpected decreases in revenue, or increases in expenditures.
