The Kendall County Board is a ten-member elected body that sets policy, passes ordinances, and approves the budget for Kendall County, Illinois. Five members come from each of the county’s two districts, and the same ten people also sit as commissioners of the Kendall County Forest Preserve District. Regular meetings happen on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 504 South Main Street in Yorkville.1Kendall County, IL. County Board
How the Ten Seats Are Divided
Kendall County is split into two districts, each electing five representatives.1Kendall County, IL. County Board District 1 covers the more rural western half of the county. District 2 covers the faster-growing eastern side, closer to the Chicagoland suburbs. The split is intended to keep suburban growth from drowning out the agricultural and rural communities on the other side of the county.
Boundaries get a look every ten years when new census numbers come out. After the 2020 Census, the board found the existing line still produced roughly equal populations and left it alone.1Kendall County, IL. County Board
To find out which district you live in, the county maintains interactive mapping tools on its website, and each board member’s contact information is listed on the County Board page.1Kendall County, IL. County Board For a localized issue, emailing your own representative between meetings is usually more productive than waiting for a public comment slot.
Qualifications, Terms, and the Chair
To run for a seat, a candidate must be a legal voter and must have lived in Kendall County for at least one year before the election.2Justia Law. Illinois Code Chapter 55 Act 55 ILCS 5 – Article 2 – Governing Bodies The residency requirement applies to the county, not to the specific district the candidate wants to represent.
Terms rotate on a mix of two-year and four-year cycles so that roughly half the board is on the ballot every two years.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 55 ILCS 5 Counties Code – Section 2-3009 The staggered schedule keeps the whole board from turning over at once and preserves some institutional memory from one cycle to the next.
After each election, the seated members choose a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson from among themselves. The Chair runs meetings, makes committee assignments, and serves as the public face of county government. As of 2025, Matt Kellogg serves as County Board Chair.
What the Board Decides
The board’s biggest annual job is approving the county operating budget. That budget funds every county department, including the Sheriff’s Office, the Highway Department, the Health Department, and the courts. Revenue comes mostly from property taxes and state distributions, and the board sets the yearly tax levy that determines how much property owners pay toward county services.1Kendall County, IL. County Board
Zoning in unincorporated parts of the county also runs through the board. Members vote on land use petitions, special use permits, and subdivision plans. The Planning, Building and Zoning Department reviews applications and offers recommendations, but final approval is the board’s.4Kendall County, IL. Planning, Building and Zoning Incorporated municipalities handle their own zoning separately, so a project inside a city limit does not come before the county board.
The board appoints residents to a range of advisory bodies, including the Board of Health, the Ethics Commission, the Liquor Control Commission, the 708 Mental Health Board, and the Agriculture Areas Committee.5Kendall County, IL. Boards and Commissions Residents interested in serving can apply through the county website.
Beyond those duties, the board passes ordinances that govern daily life across the county: setting fees for county services, regulating liquor licenses, funding emergency management, and managing county-owned property, including the courthouse and administrative buildings in Yorkville.
The Forest Preserve Second Hat
Under Illinois law, when a forest preserve district shares boundaries with its county, the county board automatically sits as the district’s board of commissioners.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 70 ILCS 805 Downstate Forest Preserve District Act – Section 3a The Kendall County Forest Preserve District matches the county, so all ten members serve as forest preserve commissioners. In that role they oversee preserve land acquisition, trail maintenance, and conservation programming.
The Forest Preserve Commission holds separate meetings, typically twice a month, in the same County Board Room on the second floor of the Kendall County Office Building.7Kendall County, IL. Forest Preserve Commission If you care about trails, open space, or wildlife habitat, watch that calendar in addition to the regular board schedule.
Pay
Board members are paid an annual salary rather than per-meeting stipends. The salary structure took effect in December 2020, with the base set at $17,500 per year. The Chair receives an additional monthly stipend on top of that base. Kendall County offers its workforce benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance along with participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, though eligibility for elected officials may differ from full-time employees.8Kendall County, IL. Benefits For the current figure, check the most recent budget or compensation resolution.
Meetings and Public Comment
The board meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the County Board Room on the second floor of the Kendall County Office Building, 504 South Main Street, Yorkville, IL 60560. The first Tuesday meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.; the third Tuesday meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.9Kendall County, IL. County Board The evening session is usually easier for residents who work during the day.
Agendas are posted at least 48 hours in advance under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, both at the meeting site and on the county website, so you can see what will come up before you decide whether to attend.10Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 5 ILCS 120 Open Meetings Act – Section 2.02 Minutes are recorded and made public, creating a permanent record of every vote.
Each meeting includes a public comment period. To speak, or to have your name read into the record with a stated position, submit a public comment form at least 15 minutes before the meeting’s scheduled start time.11Kendall County, IL. Agendas/Packets and Meetings Schedules This is the most direct way to put a concern about a pending ordinance or budget decision on the official record.