Marengo, IL Township Board Recap: October 19, 2026

Marengo Township's board picked a health insurance plan Monday night that will cost about $248 more a month than the township pays now, instead of renewing its current plan at 17 percent more. Supervisor Heather Greenquist also told the board that a corrected copy of the township's budget is now on file with McHenry County, and the board will certify its property tax levies in November.

Four of the board's five members were present. The assessor was absent and left a report, which was read to the board. All votes were by voice, with no dissent heard.

The board approved the September 21 minutes, the monthly financial reports and the bills, including $431.14 to AT&T, split between the town and the road district, and $1,006.22 to Johnson Oil for road district fuel.

Health Insurance: About 7 Percent, Not 17

The renewal came back to the board after it was put off in September, when the current plan came in 17 percent higher and Greenquist asked the township's broker for cheaper options. The plan covers the two elected officials on the township's plan, the highway commissioner and the assessor. Greenquist presented four options: the current plan at a 17.07 percent increase, a higher-deductible plan at 6.83 percent, a plan with an even higher deductible at 1.84 percent, and an HMO that would cost less than the township pays now.

The board chose the 6.83 percent plan, listed as G536 BCE, for the next calendar year. Greenquist said the broker recommended it as comparable to the current coverage. The premium goes from $3,632.59 a month to $3,880.83, about $46,570 a year, up from about $43,600 now but below the roughly $51,000 it would have cost to renew the current plan. Road district employees can choose among all four plans.

A Corrected Budget Is Now on File With the County

During her report, Greenquist told the board she had received three emails from Travis Coudal of Marengo Weekly, which she described as general questions about the township budget as it relates to the remodel of the township building and "the $80,000 that the GA reimbursed the town fund for 20% of the work done." GA is the General Assistance fund, which the township uses to help residents in need.

Greenquist said that in those emails, Coudal noted the copy of the budget he received from the county did not match the one the township had sent him. Greenquist said all five copies the township had on hand matched one another, but when Greenquist went through the budget line by line with the county, the county's copy did not match. On the advice of the township's attorney, Greenquist said, the township took its copy to the county, which voided the original and filed "the appropriate budget that should have been on file."

"I don't know how it happened," Greenquist said. The budget was adopted in May. Greenquist said the budget on file with the county now matches the one the township has posted, and that the attorney advised nothing more is needed than a note in the minutes that a corrected document is on file. The board took no vote on it.

Disclosure: Travis Coudal writes some of Marengo Weekly's stories, including this recap, and is a candidate for Ward 4 alderman. He filed records requests with Marengo Township about its General Assistance fund in April 2026 as a resident and made public comments to the township about it, and he sent the emails Greenquist described on Marengo Weekly's behalf. He attended Monday's meeting. When Greenquist asked how to describe Marengo Weekly, he answered that it is an online newspaper and told her she was fine; he did not otherwise speak. Justin Bounds, Marengo Weekly's editor, approves every story before it runs.

Levies: 4.99 Percent More, Vote November 16

The township's tentative property tax levies are posted, and the board will certify them at its November 16 meeting, after a levy hearing at 6 p.m. The tentative township levy in the meeting packet asks for $338,509, 4.99 percent more than the $322,421 the township requested for the same funds last year, according to the county clerk's tax computation report. The township is subject to the state's property tax cap, so the county can extend less than the township asks; last year the township requested $322,421 and the county extended about $318,400. The General Assistance share of the new request is $13,153, up $625. The road district's tentative levy is $685,777.

Greenquist said most of the town fund's increase goes to personnel: insurance, a salary increase in May and higher IMRF pension costs. Greenquist said the request is also meant to capture new construction, including carriage homes and houses in Deer Pass, so the newer homes pay their share. "We merely certify what was presented to us," one trustee said.

Greenquist said she believes the General Assistance checking account is under $2,000 and that money will be transferred from the fund's money market account. The Illinois Department of Human Services raised the payment level for General Assistance and Emergency Assistance to $466 for one person as of October 1, Greenquist said. Greenquist called Marengo Township "the lowest taxing body on your tax bill" and said it is the only one "required by law to assist" residents who come to it for help.

Highway Report

Highway Commissioner Jake Adamson's crew did the garbage run, ran new wiring and installed new cameras, ran new electric service to the pole buildings, replaced a culvert on Wilson Road, fixed the grass around the culvert replaced on River Road, serviced the trucks and took them through the safety lane, and dropped off tires for a tire drive.

Asked about costs for next year, Adamson said a gravel estimate has gone up 6.5 percent since June, salt is up more than $20 and fuel costs are up. Adamson said he still has to decide which roads to pave next year.

Around the Township

• The county will publish 2026 property assessments October 28, and the deadline to file an assessment complaint is November 30, according to the assessor's report. The county is not mailing assessment notices this year; residents can check their assessment on the county's website.
• Greenquist and Adamson spoke with IDOT about the intersection of Route 23 and River Road, as they said in September they would. Greenquist said IDOT is "thinking roundabout" because a traffic signal would not do much to reduce crashes, and that it is only conversation so far: no property has been bought, and the work to date is crash and safety studies.
• The front entrance pillar by the ramp is crumbling. Greenquist said the township found brick that matches as closely as it could, and the repair, with a steel plate underneath because the ramp is settling, will cost $1,600.
• The township's electronics recycling day filled the truck again. Greenquist asked people not to leave TVs at the highway department's doors without the $20 fee. Coral Township asked to advertise the event to its residents, and the next one will be in May.
• Greenquist met October 15 with the City of Marengo, the library, the school district and Riley Township to talk about what each is working on and what they might do together.
• A draft of the township's annual audit is available on request. It will be filed with the county and the state comptroller.
• Pace is holding focus groups on whether the area wants more bus service.
• The town hall is the polling place for Precinct 5 in the November 3 election.

The board adjourned at about 7:38 p.m. Its next regular meeting is Monday, November 16, at 7 p.m. at the township hall, 4010 N. Illinois Route 23, following the 6 p.m. levy hearing.