Winnebago County’s Post

VETERINARIAN JOB OPENING: Winnebago County Animal Services is currently seeking qualified candidates to apply for the position of Veterinarian/Medical Director. As Chief Veterinarian, the individual is responsible for performing and overseeing all veterinary services for shelter animals and maximizes clinical resources to ensure animals heath. Applicants must have graduated from an accredited veterinarian medical institution and be currently licensed to practice veterinarian medicine in the State of Illinois. Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/d7eiBM4r

SUPPORTING YOUTH SPORTS: What a great weekend at the 19th annual Rockford Park District Youth Football Training Camp! 🏈 Winnebago County was a proud sponsor and Chairman Chiarelli along with Board Members Jaime Salgado and Kevin McCarthy had the opportunity to meet with Guest Instructor Tremaine Edmunds of the Chicago Bears!

PRIORITIZING POLICE TRAINING: With collaboration from the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and bipartisan advocacy from our federal lawmakers, we are excited to be able to announce $847,000 in funding that will allow us to operate a state-of-the-art police training facility that is unmatched in our region! The relocation of our Winnebago County Regional Police Training Facility will allow us to provide improved training, while also creating a new site for a long-needed centrally located Rock Valley College Campus. This will bring the added benefit of accessible job training to residents of a marginalized area of our city. Thank you to our Federal delegation: Congressman Eric Sorensen, Congressman Darin LaHood, Senator Dick Durbin and Senator Tammy Duckworth for helping Winnebago County secure this crucial funding, which will enable the County to purchase technologically advanced training equipment for the facility and train officers from across Illinois. Quality training is critical to our community, and this project will not only benefit law enforcement, it will also better serve the general public who interact with law enforcement officials!

THANK YOU OFFICERS: Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli and the Winnebago County Board were able to recognize members of the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office with proclamations for National Correctional Officers Week (May 5-12) and National Police Week (May 12-18) as a thank you to our law enforcement! We are so appreciative of the hard work and dedication of our correctional officers for maintaining safe & secure facilities as well as ensuring public safety. Winnebago County also recognizes the sacrifices men and women in law enforcement make to serve and protect their communities. Everyone is encouraged to observe Peace Officers’ Memorial Day on May 15 in honor of all police who have fallen in the line of duty, let us remember and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes. 💙

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Winnebago County is currently seeking qualified candidates to apply for the position of Electrical Inspector in our Regional Planning Department. Under general direction of the Construction Safety Supervisor, this individual performs a wide variety of skilled functions in the inspection of electrical installations for residential, commercial and industrial structures to ensure compliance with applicable codes and ordinances; supervises and evaluates the activities of subordinate electrical inspectors; maintains records and reports of activities. To learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/gjwHtdJS

TRUSTEE AUCTION SUCCESS: Region 1 Planning Council, serving as the agent for Trustee Programs in Winnebago and Boone Counties, has closed a record-setting online auction of tax delinquent parcels, returning more than $1 million to local government coffers and placing hundreds of neglected properties into the hands of private owners! The April 2024 sales auction featured 280 registered bidders and more than 1,300 placed bids – both historic highs for the Trustee sale. “As the Trustee of the program, I am encouraged by the number of new owners investing in these previously abandoned properties,” says Joe Chiarelli, Chairman of Winnebago County Board. “This allows surrounding homeowners a chance to see an increase in property value and a stronger neighborhood. As Trustee, I also have led a program to transfer vacant land to neighboring property owners, and I am pleased to say we have transferred over 120 parcels back to private ownership.”

LIFESAVING AWARDS: Following the tragedies that took place in Rockford last month when four innocent citizens lost their lives during a senseless brutal attack, Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli and Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana presented awards at this evening’s County Board meeting to Keith Fahrney and Sheriff Winnebago County Deputy Michael Gambino to recognize their bravery on March 27, 2024. Additionally, Chairman Chiarelli and Sheriff Caruana also recognized another civilian, Cassidy Davenport, who rendered aid in a sudden and unexpected situation, which resulted in saving a young child’s life at the Machesney Park Target on March 26, 2024. Thank you for going above and beyond, serving and protecting the citizens of Winnebago County! 🩵

WASTE-TO-ENERGY ACCOMPLISHMENTS: In honor of Earth Day, Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli recognized Four Rivers Sanitation Authority (FRSA) for their exceptional efforts in safeguarding the environment. FRSA has been dedicated to protecting the watershed and promoting green energy, particularly by utilizing methane gas to power their plant. On a daily basis, the plant processes 40,000 lbs. of waste including industrial runoffs, fats, oils, and household wastes, from dirty, “brown” water to water that meets and exceeds the clean water standards as defined by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), before it is discharged into the Rock River. A valuable bi-product of the cleaning process is biogas, which is created during the digestion process and in turn, becomes the energy that runs the plant, accounting for two-thirds of the energy needs onsite, saving more than $1 million annually. Recently recognized in the April 2024 edition of the Water Environment & Technology (WE&T) magazine as “Cultivating a Culture of Innovation,” FRSA identifies as a leader in its commitment to protecting the environment through careful planning the thoughtful use of resources. This recognition is a testament to their unwavering commitment to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable practices! 🌎

HANDS AROUND THE COURTHOUSE: While the weather kept us inside, it did not keep us from coming together in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention & Awareness Month in Winnebago County. Thank you to the 17th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council for holding this important event annually as a way to remember survivors and celebrate the work that has been done and is being done in our community to improve the response to victims of child abuse and neglect. 🩵 Congratulations to Mary Bawinkel of the Regional Office of Education for being named the recipient of the inaugural Blue Bow Champion for Children Award. The recognition is awarded to an individual, organization or group that has made outstanding contributions to child abuse awareness and prevention by going above and beyond to help kids grow up in safe environments. Congratulations, Mary!