The Ogle County Board unanimously approved two change orders May 19 for an ongoing Memorial Plaza project on the south side of the historic Ogle County Courthouse property.
The $200,000 project is being funded by a grant for green space at the former location of the Ogle County Jail, which was demolished in recent years. Any remaining costs will come from the county’s long-range capital expense fund.
The Memorial Plaza will include a circle and sidewalk going down the side to the front of the memorial. There will be a bronze eagle on a pedestal in the center. The Ogle County Historical Society will also be including a time capsule in the project involving America’s 250th anniversary.
The project will have accessible walkways to existing memorials and the Memorial Plaza and also includes lighting for courthouse and memorial areas.
The first change order was for $4,191 for sidewalk, lighting, landscaping and planting changes. The second change order was for $4,476 for a larger eagle to be placed on the pedestal.
“We were looking at a smaller eagle for this location and it just did not do what it needed to do for the visual effect,” said Board Member Don Griffin, chairman of the county’s long-range planning committee. “And we have our 250th anniversary coming up. This one will be more prominent in the display.”
The project will be broken into three phases due to needed funds and will involve fundraising. Three benches for the project have already been donated. Landscaping and shrubbery will be included as well.
The second phase would include a curved walkway into the memorial from the east, with a total of seven benches. The third phase would include landscaping and trees and shrubs, along with a canopy, the most expensive aspect of the project.
Offices
The board voted unanimously to approve a $5,043 change order for a current county office renovation and relocation project that will see the county’s animal control department move to its 907 Pines Road office in Oregon and Veterans Affairs filling the space left by animal control in the historic Ogle County Courthouse.
The change order involves adding wall containers for sharps and needles, dimmer switches and fixtures and outlet and data jack relocations.
The Ogle County Health Department space at 907 Pines Road will also be expanded to facilitate the consolidation of its two offices. The OCHD will be closing its Rochelle office at 510 Lincoln Highway effective June 1.
Griffin said the work is currently “going well” at the Pines Road office, with doors completed and flooring work taking place. Griffin said he hopes the Pines Road work is completed by May 29, and the courthouse work will likely be done by the end of June.
Data centers
During the public comment portion of the meeting, the board heard a number of residents speak out against data centers potentially locating in Ogle County in the future.
There are currently no data center proposals that the board is publicly considering. In 2024 and 2025, the board approved the rezoning of just over 709 combined acres of land in Marion Township from agricultural to industrial use for Constellation Energy, the owner of the Byron Nuclear Plant. Data centers have been mentioned by board members at past meetings as potential development uses for the land.
Janet Buttron of Chana spoke during the public comment time on Tuesday and asked the board to put a moratorium on data centers to prevent one from locating in Ogle County in the coming years.
“I would like the board to enact a temporary two-year moratorium on data center developments to allow adequate community input, update zoning, study environmental impacts and fully understand the impact on local electrical bills,” Buttron said.
Elected officials
The board voted 20-1 to set the elected official salary for the office of treasurer at $94,164 for fiscal 2027. The salary will see a 2% increase each year in the next three years. Board Member Skip Kenney was the lone vote against the measure.
The board voted 19-2 to set the elected official salary for the office of county clerk at $94,164 for fiscal year 2027. The salary will see a 2% increase each year in the next three years. Board Members Skip Kenney and Dan Miller voted against the salary structure.
Appointment
The board voted unanimously to appoint Tricia Black to the county’s supervisor of assessments position for a four-year term, with an annual salary of $73,869 beginning July 1, 2026.