DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Forest Preserve Operations Committee met Aug. 25.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

The DeKalb County Forest Preserve Operations Committee met virtually via Zoom. Vice-Chairman Whelan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Those Members virtually present were Mr. Tim Hughes, Ms. Maureen Little, Mr. Chris Porterfield, Mr. Craig Roman, Vice-Chair Jeff Whelan, and Chairman Paul Stoddard. Ms. Terri Mann-Lamb was absent. A quorum was established with six Members present and one absent.

Others present via Zoom included Forest Preserve District Superintendent Terry Hannan, Pete Stefan, Kathy Lampkins, and Paul Koeppen, Jr.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

It was moved by Mr. Porterfield and seconded by Mr. Roman to approve the agenda as presented. Those voting yea were Mr. Hughes, Ms. Little, Mr. Porterfield, Mr. Roman, Vice-Chair Whelan, and Chairman Stoddard. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

It was moved by Chairman Stoddard and seconded by Ms. Little to approve the minutes from the July 28, 2020 Meeting. Those voting yea were Mr. Hughes, Ms. Little, Mr. Porterfield, Mr. Roman, Vice-Chair Whelan, and Chairman Stoddard. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Mr. Paul Koeppen, Jr. shared that he is a resident of Genoa and that his family farms and has property in Genoa across from the Genoa High School and they own a part of the Kishwaukee River. Over the decades of living in DeKalb County they have come to expect a certain number of trespassing and related issues that come with owning part of the river. However, since the surging increase of traffic on the river over the last few years stemming from the increase of canoe and kayak river access the issues have tripled and are becoming out of hand ranging from simple trespassing to crop damage, thief to name a few. Most of it appears to be the lack of information the public has on the legal status of the Kishwaukee River and that the river is not public waters but that most of it at least on the South Branch is private property the following is from the state DNR website about the river and it sums it up very nicely "Note: The Kishwaukee is NOT public, so it can only be accessed in areas where the landowner allows public access. In addition, there are many areas on the Kishwaukee that are owned by park districts and/or conservation districts. These entities DO allow boating, canoeing, and fishing on their portion of property. However, you need to be careful of where their boundary ends to avoid trespassing on private property where the owner does not allow the public". https://www.ifishillinois.org/profiles/Kishwaukee.php

Mr. Koeppen expressed that he believes most of the issues come from the public's lack of knowledge of the laws and legal status concerning the river and he believes some simple signage and educating the public would help greatly reduce the issues that he and other landowners are dealing with on a weekly basis.

Mr. Hannan shared that the Forest Preserve District will assist with posting information signage and river maps at Knute Olson and Russell Woods Forest Preserves showing public and private land including being respectful of private property. He also agreed that Kayak and Canoe use on the Kishwaukee River has increased in popularity and while the Forest Preserve District has provided canoe and kayak river access (along with the City of Genoa at Carroll Park , and Kingston Township Park District in Kingston), it is important to inform people to be respectful visitors as they pass through public and private land. Mr. Hannan assured Mr. Koeppen that they would keep the lines of communication open with each other and work on getting signage and maps out very soon.

PLACING THE FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT’S FY 2021 APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE & LEVY ON FILE

Mr. Hannan highlighted that as he has previously discussed Forest Preserve Committee and with Forest Preserve District Commissioners, as part of the long range forest preserve acquisition, maintenance and management plan, the 2021 Budget will begin the transition of more land acquisition funds to maintenance and management funds for all forest preserves and new land acquisitions as per the voter approved referendum in 2006. The 2021 Budget will reduce Tort reserves with old culvert replacement and repairs along the Great Western Trail and replacing the 60-year-old bridge across the Kishwaukee River at Russell Woods. The FY 2021 Budget will use land improvement and ITEP grant funds with the extension of the Great Western Trail west through Sycamore Forest Preserve and connect to the City of Sycamore and Sycamore Park District trails and parks and continue to work on the Genoa to Kingston Trail (G2K Trail) from west of Pleasant Hill Rd. (Hoppe Farmstead) into the Village of Kingston. Land improvements, management and habitat restoration will continue at the new Riverwood Forest Preserve. Other land acquisition opportunities may be considered as well if offered.

The Forest Preserve total property tax dollars for FY 2021 is proposed at $1,688,000. Proposed 2020 Tax Rates collected in 2021:

General Fund           $1,378,500        0.06000

F.I.C.A.                          $50,000        0.00218

I.M.R.F.                           $3,000        0.00013

Tort and Liability         $257,000        0.01119

Total FY 2020 proposed Tax Rate = 0.07350

$200,000.00 value home pays about $45.00 per year (about $ 3.75 per month) in Forest Preserve District property taxes in 2021. $538 per acre assessment for farmland pays about 38 cents per acre in forest preserve property taxes. The Forest Preserve tax is less than 1% of a home owners property tax bill (about 7/10 of 1%). As per 2019 audit, the Forest Preserve Budget is balanced and financially sound.

DeKalb County Finance Director Pete Stefan explained that a couple years ago the decision was made to fund a Sheriff’s Deputy to do safety and security patrols at the various forest preserves. At the time the base amount of $110,000 was used for the funding of that position. Over time, the County has increased the amount due to inflation but it was not changed on the Forest Preserve District’s end.

Mr. Stefan suggested increasing both the revenues and the expenses in the Tort Fund, which would keep the fund balance the same, but will then match what the County says they are going Note: These minutes are not official until approved by the Forest Preserve Committee at a subsequent

meeting. Please refer to the meeting minutes when these minutes are approved to obtain any changes to these minutes.

to receive for that position. This would be a change of $110,000 to $118,000 but would not change the tax levy rate that Mr. Hannan previously shared.

Chairman Stoddard moved and Mr. Porterfield seconded a motion to forward a Resolution to the full Board of Commissioners recommending to place the FY 2021 Budget, with the addition of Mr. Stefan’s suggestion, on file for public inspection. Those voting yea were Mr. Hughes, Ms. Little, Mr. Porterfield, Mr. Roman, Vice-Chair Whelan, and Chairman Stoddard. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote.

MONTHLY REPORTS & ACTIVITIES

Mr. Hannan reviewed the Forest Preserve District’s Monthly Report with Committee. He reported that after last week’s storm, there were trees down in every forest preserve. Mr. Hannan will be checking with PDRMA to see if there is enough damage to initiate processing a claim for all of the cleanup that is taking place.

The report also illustrated a photo and a story of “Bob” and his family at Russell Woods. Bob runs 100 a week in the Genoa and Kingston area including Russell Woods and Riverwood Forest Preserves and trains for ultra-marathons (200-mile runs). He picks up litter on his training runs. Since November 2019, he has picked up over 1,250 bags of trash and litter. The District and the Committee wanted to express their gratitude to Bob.

Mr. Hannan additionally shared that a grant invitation was accepted by and applied for a Riverwood Forest Preserve ($20,000 grant request) from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation’s Pollinator Meadow Grant Program. The grant would help fund prairie seed, herbicide application and seeding in former turfgrass fairways and convert them to colorful prairie pollinator meadows.

The Monthly Report also showed photos of others volunteering in the preserves, recent land improves to the new Riverwood Forest Preserve, and the public taking advantage of what the many preserves have to offer. Mr. Hannan also reported that excavation and construction are now complete and seeding and planting are in progress at the Afton South Prairie Wetland Bank.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved by Mr. Hughes and seconded by Mr. Roman to adjourn the Committee Meeting. Those voting yea were Mr. Hughes, Ms. Little, Mr. Porterfield, Mr. Roman, Vice- Chair Whelan, and Chairman Stoddard. The motion carried unanimously by roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 6:47 p.m.

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/min20-fpaug.pdf