Ogle board passes resolution in support of townships

OREGON – The Ogle County Board unanimously voted on March 18 to oppose efforts to eliminate or consolidate townships – an act that two board members say would create more costs than savings.

“Townships are more efficient,” said Lyle Hopkins, Polo, who is also the supervisor for Pine Creek Township. “In Pine Creek Township we have 47 miles to maintain. I just don’t know how it would work if we consolidate.”

Hopkins said he attended a recent seminar in Springfield with fellow county board member, Marcia Heuer, of Oregon. Hopkins said the bills, if approved, would eliminate township road districts and make the county maintain and plowing the roads. He said SB 2504, SB 2217 and HB 2515, were introduced by the 113th Illinois General Assembly in March 2025.

“They want to eliminate the township road districts and dump it on the county,” Hopkins said.

SB2540 states: “Amends the Property Tax Code: Provides that, in counties with a population of less than 50,000, the offices of township assessor and multi-township assessor are abolished upon the expiration of the term of a township assessor or multi-township assessor. Provides that the county assessor in a county with a population of less than 50,000 shall assume all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities of township assessors or multi-township assessors within the county.”

Hopkins said the township form of government has worked efficiently for many years. “This has worked for some 100 years,” he said. “I’ve been a supervisor for 50 years and I don’t think we’ve raised a [tax] levy in all those years. We don’t have the fanciest things in the world, but we have decent equipment to operate.”

Pine Creek Township as well as several other townships in Ogle County was founded in November 1849.

Heuer, who is also a Pine Creek Township Trustee, agreed that the impact to the county would be significant if townships were eliminated and county road crews were forced to absorb those services.

“The state will be completely out of it,” said Heuer referring to costs. “We will be stuck with the bill.”

Heuer said Ogle County has 24 townships which currently handle maintenance on township roads that spread across rural sections of the county.

She said in her “little township”, Pine Creek Township, the part-time road commissioner is paid about $29,000 and officials currently have a truck ordered for a cost of around $170,000. In contrast, she said the average road maintenance employee for the county makes approximately $60,000 a year before benefits.

“So, for those people to take over the functions of 24 townships, it would cost us [Ogle County] an additional $1.4 million. And if we have to buy 10 more trucks, that’s $3.8 million. It’s always two and one-half times more expensive for a county to take over the functions of a township. That’s what we’re looking at,” Heuer told the board.

The board unanimously voted by voice to pass the following resolution in opposition of the bills.

“The Ogle County Board in the County of Ogle is opposed to these initiatives and recognizes that townships in Illinois provide many services outside of the three statutory obligations of road and bridge maintenance, property assessment and general assistance.

“The legislation does not consider that over 72,000 miles of roads are maintained by road districts in Illinois and approximately 12,000 bridges; and that current state law exists that allows a township to consolidate if the initiative is brought with voter approval and past attempts like those provided for in this legislation have failed in Illinois.

“The Ogle County Board in the County of Ogle will only support any statewide effort of township consolidation if valid cost impact analysis is completed and proof that the level of services provided will remain. This would eliminate many community-based services that are important to the public.”

Heuer urged community members and township officials to contact state legislators about the bills.