DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Committee of the Whole met Jan. 8.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

The Committee of the Whole of the DeKalb County Board met Wednesday, January 8, 2020 in the Community Outreach Building’s Five Seasons Room in DeKalb, Illinois. Chairman Mark Pietrowski called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Those Members present were Mr. Tim Bagby, Mr. Scott Campbell, Mrs. Karen Cribben, Mr. Steve Faivre, Vice-Chair John Frieders, Ms. Dianne Leifheit, Ms. Maureen Little, Mr. Jim Luebke, Ms. Sandra Polanco, Mr. Craig Roman, Ms. Linda Slabon, Mr. Paul Stoddard, Mr. Jeff Whelan, Ms. Suzanne Willis, and Chairman Mark Pietrowski, Jr. Those absent were Ms. Rukisha Crawford, Mr. Tim Hughes, Mr. Tracy Jones, Ms. Terri Mann-Lamb, Mr. Jerry Osland, Mr. Roy Plote, Mr. Chris Porterfield, and Mr. Larry West. A quorum was established with sixteen Members present and eight absent.

Others present included Gary Hanson, Greg Millburg, Jim Hutcheson, and Terry Hannan.

Ms. Crawford, Ms. Mann-Lamb, Mr. Porterfield, Mr. Hughes, and Mr. West all arrived after roll call.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Mr. Faivre moved to approve the agenda as presented. Mrs. Emmer seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously by voice vote.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

It was moved by Mr. Faivre, seconded by Mr. Roman and it was moved unanimously to approve the minutes from the November 13, 2019 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

There were no public comments.

PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS Reports from Committee Chairs

Mr. Faivre, Chairman of the Planning & Zoning Committee, shared the Committee has no items that they put forth this month but tomorrow evening was the Public Hearing regarding the County’s Draft Ordinance Adopting Text Amendments to the DeKalb County Zoning Ordinance pertaining to Adult-use Cannabis and Medical Cannabis Related Uses. Mr. Faivre additionally noted that following the County’s cannabis issue, he will be pressuring staff to draft wording for the Zoning Text Amendments relating to the Section 402.D.2 and the County’s 40-acre rule. His hope is that wording will get put together and go before the Committee soon in order to get it to a Public Hearing.

Ms. Willis, Vice-Chairman of the County Highway Committee, shared that the Committee forwarded one Resolution to the full County Board for consideration relating to the purchase of a new Tandem Cab & Chassis. She also shared that the two citizens stood and spoke reiterating their comments and concerns presented at the Highway Committee meeting held on November 7, 2019, about the driving conditions of Plank Road, specifically between Moose Range Road and just east of Lukens Road. Their concerns are the speed of the vehicles, drivers not obeying the rules of the road by passing at intersections, and vehicles passing when vehicle(s) in front of them are making a turning movement that requires them to cross a lane of traffic. The Committee discussed the County Engineers Plank Road Safety Study as well as heard from the County Sheriff regarding accident numbers and citations that have been issued on Plank Road. Vice- Chair Willis noted that the Committee will continue their discussions regarding Plank Road next month because the following motion was approved at last week’s meeting: “Mr. Luebke moved and Mr. Pietrowski seconded a motion for the Highway Department to bring to the Committee during the month of February a resolution for an altered speed zone on Plank Road for the residence district south of Moose Range Road. Motion passed unanimously. By consensus of the Committee, the County Engineer was requested to continue with his recommendation to place Residence District warning signs in the area of Gerry Lane and Devine Way with the suggested speed limit of 45mph. The County Engineer was also requested to install flashing speed limit signs east of Gerry Lane and west of Devine Way to collect data on passing vehicles.”

Mrs. Emmer, Chair of the Economic Development Committee, shared that the forwarded four DeKalb County Enterprise Zone items along with a County Raffle & Poker Run Ordinance to the full County Board for consideration. Ms. Emmer explained that the Committee was joined by DCEDC Executive Director Paul Borek who brought forth to them a Boundary Amendment to the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone that would add approximately 500 acres located south of Gurler Road between Illinois Route 23 and a property line just east of Peace Road extended. This Amendment would also produce an Amendment to the Enterprise Zone Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA). The second is an Incentive Modification Amendment to the Enterprise Zone. Enterprise Zone Property Tax Abatements are proposed:

- 15-years at 50% per year for project with a minimum of $100 million of investment, 400 jobs and 900,000 square feet of development.

- 20-years at 55% per year for projects with a minimum of $800 million of investment, 50 jobs and 900,000 square feet of development.

This Amendment would also produce an Amendment to the Enterprise Zone IGA.

Mrs. Emmer additionally shared that after several meeting and back-and-forths with County Clerk Doug Johnson, the Committee forwarded Amendments to the DeKalb County Raffle & Poker Run Ordinance to the full Board recommending their approval.

Mr. Porterfield, Chairman of Health & Human Services Committee, shared that the Committee did not meet due to a lack of agenda items.

Ms. Leifheit, Chair of the Law & Justice Committee, shared that the Committee had not met yet in the new year.

Mr. Bagby, Chairman of the Finance Committee, shared that the Committee did not meet but the Board will be reviewing for approval December and January Claims as well as the Reports of County Officials for the months of November and December 2019.

Mr. Stoddard, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Operations Committee, shared the Committee has been reviewing the proposed land acquisition for many months and is finally ready for forward a Resolution recommending the purchase of approximately 102.185 acres of land along the Kishwaukee River and connecting to Knute Olson Forest Preserve that was part of the former Oak Club Golf Course for $11,500 per acre totaling $1,175,127.00. DeKalb County Forest Preserve Superintendent Terry Hannan was present to provide the Committee of the Whole with more information and background of the proposed land acquisition. The current land owner, Mr. Wood, has donated $250,000 to the Forest Preserve District to assist with the land acquisition along with acquiring the current parking lot and maintenance building. Mr. Wood has donated numerous land improvements like contouring the sand traps and some of the raised tee boxes. He has removed and burned approximately 80 large dead Ash trees from the property that were a safety issue along with helping eradicate the Ash Bore infestation in DeKalb County. He will be adding approximately a mile of split rail fence to separate the current adjacent homeowners from the proposed Forest Preserve land and removing former golf course clubhouse. The Forest Preserve District plans for the property are open greenspace/picnic areas, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails, fishing and river access, prairie habitat and oak savannah restoration. The land ranks very high in the Forest Preserve District Land Acquisition Evaluation process and he will be applying for a 50% acquisition grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (which he feels very good about the possibility of it being awarded for the project).

The Ad Hoc Rules Committee has forwarded two Ordinances to the full County Board Providing for the Preservation of County Government History and Regulating the Parking of Vehicles on the County’s Sycamore Campus Property.

County Administrator’s Report

County Administrator Gary Hanson shared that the Architect is about 99% done with the schematic design drawings for the Courthouse Reconfiguration Project. Following the Schematic Design will be the Design Development Phase. During this phase there will be more detailed drawings with electrical and data requirements, code plans, and MEP requirements. His hope is that will be completely prior to the Law & Justice Committee’s next meeting.

The Nursing Home Expansion Project is also continuing and all of the construction is under roof now and will be proceeding. Right now, substantial completion is looking to be in September. Mr. Hanson also shared with the Committee that for some time now there has been many staffing challenges out at the Rehab & Nursing Center, especially with revolving Administrators. The Center now has a new Administrator who is fitting in very well and previous challenge are now becoming resolved. Some former staff that had left under previous leadership are now coming back as well, which is a good sign of the changed dynamics of the facility.

The County did close on the buildings that were purchased from the City of Sycamore. The County currently has possession of the former Water Department Facility and they will get possession of the storage building by the History Center in March which will coincide with the delivery of the new County squad cars, which will be good. Chairman Pietrowski requested that the Board receive a tour of the buildings in March.

One item that has come up during all of the recent Enterprise Zone discussions is that the Forest Preserve District has never been joined into Zone. Mr. Hanson has requested that Mr. Borek provide the District with documents to join and once those are obtained it will go before the Forest Preserve Operations Committee for discussion.

Looking ahead, the Standing Committee will start to receive Annual Reports from Department Heads that report to them. Mr. Hanson encouraged the Board Members to review those reports. He has asked Department Heads to include trend data to help give some perspective. Lastly, County Engineer Nathan Schwartz would like to give his Annual Highway Report to the Board and Mr. Hanson suggested to him to come to the Committee of the Whole Meeting as opposed to the full County Board Meeting next month. The Committee agreed that would be a better idea.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Ms. Mann-Lamb and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m.

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/min20-cowjan.pdf