DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Board met Dec. 17.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
The DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Commissioners met in regular session at the Legislative Center’s Gathertorium on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at 7:20 p.m. President Frieders called the meeting to order, and the Secretary called the roll. Those present were Commissioners Rebecca Johnson, Kathy Lampkins, Jim Luebke, Elizabeth Lundeen, Michelle Pickett, Roy Plote, Chris Porterfield, Vice
President Ellingsworth Webb, Tim Bagby, Scott Campbell, Kim Coovert, Mary Cozad, Rukisha Crawford, Patrick Deutsch, Meryl Domina, Laurie Emmer, Suzanne Fahnestock, Benjamin Haier, Rhonda Henke, Laura Hoffman, Tim Hughes, and President John Frieders. Those Commissioners absent were Terri Mann-Lamb and Joe Marcinkowski. A quorum was established with twenty-two Commissioners
present and two absent.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion
Crawford moved to approve the agenda and Deutsch seconded the motion.
Amendment
After a brief explanation from Interim Administrator Hiland, Luebke moved to amend the agenda by removing Resolution FP-R2025-020: A Resolution Approving the FY2026 Budget. Crawford seconded the motion.
Amendment Vote
The President called for a voice vote on the amendment as presented. The motion carried. Voice Vote
The President then called for a voice vote to approve the agenda now as amended. The motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion
Emmer moved to approve the minutes of the November 19, 2025 meeting as presented. Domina seconded the motion.
Voice Vote
The President asked for a voice vote on the approval of the minutes. The motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
Ordinance FP-O-2025-001: An Ordinance of the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Providing for a Tax Levy 2025 for FY2026 Motion Plote moved that the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Commissioners hereby approves tolevy upon all the taxable property within the corporate limits of said DeKalb County Forest Preserve District, as assessed, for the calendar year beginning January 1, 2025, and ending December 31, 2025, and to be collected for fiscal year beginning January 1, 2026, and ending December 31, 2026, in the total amount of $2,062,000. Coovert seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
President Frieders called for a roll call on the motion to approve the Forest Preserve District’s FY2026 Levy. Those voting aye were Commissioners Johnson, Lampkins, Luebke, Lundeen, Pickett, Plote, Porterfield, Vice-President Webb, Bagby, Campbell, Coovert, Cozad, Crawford, Deutsch, Domina, Emmer, Fahnestock, Haier, Henke, Hoffman, Hughes, and President Frieders. None were opposed. The motion carried 22-0-2.
Ordinance FP-O-2025-002: An Ordinance of the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Providing an Annual Appropriation
Motion
Plote moved that the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Commissioners hereby approve that the monies received by the County Treasurer from taxes and other revenues, for the use of the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District during the Fiscal Year starting January 1, 2026, and ending December 31, 2026, are hereby appropriated as set forth in the attached “Exhibit A” for the purposes necessary for the District to carry out its responsibilities. Johnson seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
President Frieders called for a roll call on the motion to approve the Forest Preserve District’s FY2026 Budget. Those voting aye were Commissioners Johnson, Lampkins, Luebke, Lundeen, Pickett, Plote, Porterfield, Vice-President Webb, Bagby, Campbell, Coovert, Cozad, Crawford, Deutsch, Domina, Emmer, Fahnestock, Haier, Henke, Hoffman, Hughes, and President Frieders. None were opposed. The motion carried 22-0-2.
Resolution FP-2025-019: A Resolution Approving the Payment of Forest Preserve Claims for December 2025, and Off-Cycle Claims Paid During the Previous Month, Including All Claims for Travel, Meals, and Lodging, in the amount of $163,391.49
Motion Plote moved that the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Commissioners approve the payment of Forest Preserve claims for December 2025, and off-cycle claims paid during the previous month, including all claims for travel, meals, and lodging in the amount of $163,391.49. Cozad seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
Those voting aye were Commissioners Johnson, Lampkins, Luebke, Lundeen, Pickett, Plote, Porterfield, Vice-President Webb, Bagby, Campbell, Coovert, Cozad, Crawford, Deutsch, Domina, Emmer, Fahnestock, Haier, Henke, Hoffman, Hughes, and President Frieders. The motion carried 22-0-2.
Reports of District Officials
Motion
Plote moved to accept and place on file the following Reports of District Officials:
Cash & Investments in Forest Preserve Bank Accounts – November 2025
Domina seconded the motion.
Voice Vote
The motion carried by voice vote.
OLD BUSINESS / NEW BUSINESS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion
Crawford moved to adjourn at 7:29 p.m. and Johnson seconded the motion.
Voice Vote
The President called for a voice vote to adjourn the meeting until the January 21, 2026 Forest Preserve District Commissioners Meeting. The motion carried.
https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/minutes-fpd-12172025.pdf
