DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Board Ad Hoc Rules Committee met Sept. 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

The Ad Hoc Rules Committee of the DeKalb County Board met in the Legislative Center’s Gathertorium in Sycamore, Illinois. Chairman Frieders called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Those Members present were Mr. Tim Bagby, Mr. Scott Campbell, Mrs. Kathy Lampkins, Ms. Dianne Leifheit, Ms. Suzanne Willis, and Chairman John Frieders. Those absent were Mr. Steve Faivre and Mr. Craig Roman. A quorum was established with six Members present and two absent.

Others present were Brian Gregory and Liam Sullivan.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 

Ms. Willis moved to approve the agenda as presented and Mrs. Lampkins seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously by voice vote. 

PUBLIC COMMENTS 

There were no public comments made.

REVIEW AND POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO COUNTY BOARD RULES/COUNTY CODE 

Mr. Gregory shared that he had re-worked the County Board Committees to add back in the Health & Human Services Committee per the amendments the Committee reviewed last meeting under Sec. 2-19 Standing Committees Enumerated.

The new makeup with allow for seven Members on each Committee with the Forest Preserve Committee having six. The Executive Committee would include the Committee Chairs, Board Chair, Board Vice-Chair, and a Member at Large from Party of Forest Preserve Committee Chair.

With that change, Sec. 2-19 would also include:

A1. Executive Committee.

The Chair of the Executive Committee shall be the County Board Chair. The Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee shall be the Vice-Chair of the County Board. The Executive Committee consists of the Chairs of the County Standing Committees, or in their absence, the Vice-Chairs of those Standing Committees, along with an at-large member from the Party that Chairs the Forest Preserve Committee. and is Chaired by the County Board Chair. The Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee shall be a member of the opposite party of the County Board Chair and shall represent the County Board Chair in his absence and present all reports of the Executive Committee at meetings of the full County Board……

1. Finance and Administration Committee (7 Members). This committee advises the county board in matters relating to finance, capital planning, facility management, information management technology and administrative services. Responsible annually for the submission to the county board of a balanced budget along with recommended tax levy and capital spending plan for the coming five-year period. The Finance Committee monitors the budget revenues and expenses throughout each fiscal year and may propose measures during the year to help meet annual budget goals.

2. Planning, and Zoning and Development Committee (7 Members). The planning, and zoning, and development committee advises the county board in matters relative to the county's comprehensive plan, zoning ordinances, building and development matters, building codes and violations of various county ordinances. This committee coordinates with the regional planning commission. The committee advises the county board on all matters relating to growth, including residential, commercial and industrial growth and the economic opportunities and challenges associated with that growth. This committee coordinates with the county economic development corporation, and the various cities, towns and villages within the county on growth-related matters. This committee also recommends periodically beneficial changes in local policies and state laws.

3. County Highway Committee (7 Members). The county highway committee advises the county board on all matters related to roads, bridges, and other elements of public infrastructure. This committee is also responsible for intergovernmental issues related to transportation including coordination of efforts with the state, municipal and township road and bridge systems and participation in the metropolitan planning organization.

4. Health and Human Services Committee (7 Members). The health and human services committee advises the county board on all matters pertaining to the provision of health and human services to the residents of the county, including those services provided directly by the county and/or services provided by others that are overseen and/or funded by the county. This committee coordinates and oversees a wide variety of services in the fields of health, mental health, public health and long-term care. The committee oversees the administration of the county's senior services levy and the rural transportation services and veterans' transportation services provided through the Voluntary Action Center. This committee coordinates with the board of health, 708 board and the regional superintendent of schools.

5. Law and Justice Committee (7 Members). This committee advises the county board on all aspects of the justice system, including, but not limited to, funding and coordination of services provided by the judiciary, coroner/ESDA, sheriff’s department, court services, the public defender, the circuit clerk's office and the office of the State’s Attorney. This committee makes periodic recommendations to the county board on tax and financial policies relative to the ongoing operational and capital needs of the justice system.

6. Facilities and Technology Committee (7 Members). This committee advises the county board on all matters related to facilities, grounds and technological infrastructure. This includes the preparation of five-year plans to address deferred maintenance of county buildings and the use and implementation of advancing technology to enhance efficiency in county operations. The committee will coordinate with the Public Building Commission as it relates to long-term planning needs.

C. Committee of the Whole. The Committee of the Whole, comprised of all County Board members and chaired by the County Board Chair, received, studies, questions, and debates matters of general interest to the entire County Board. These meetings are designed to learn and gather information and as such, no formal votes may be taken. Discussions which may ultimately lead to business items for action by the entire County Board are still subject to the Standing Committee process. No requirement is made nor inferred that a matter for Standing Committee consideration must first be routed through the Committee of the Whole. Annual reports and  periodic updates from departments with independent boards (Public Health, Community Mental Health, & Veterans) will be presented to the Committee of the Whole. Other annual reports or updates that may be of interest can be presented directly to the Committee of the Whole and will be introduced by the Chair of the Committee that would otherwise hear the report. 

Sec. 2-21 Committee Meetings was presented with the same amendment as previously presented:

G. No standing committee shall schedule its regular monthly meetings between the executive committee meeting and the date of the full county board meeting without approval of the executive committee Chairperson.

Mr. Gregory noted that the Finance Director amendments that he had previously presented he decided to pull. The duties have already been outlined in a Resolution that the County Board previously approved and did not feel the code change was necessary at this time.

Mr. Gregory also noted that the amendments to Sec. 5-5 Filling Departmental Staff Vacancies had not changed since last week’s meeting either. Those amendments were:

When a staff vacancy exists in a Department where the County board appoints the Department Head, before those vacancies can be filled, the over-sight Standing Committee the County  Administrator must first approve that the need exists for this position. The Department Head will provide six-month financial status updates to the Standing Committee County Administrator  during the vacancy period. The Finance Committee, as provided for in Section 2-41 (A) (1), may impose additional conditions on filling vacancies based on budgetary concerns. Each Standing Committee, if requested by a Department Head, may approve a list of “critical employees” for whom the above approval process would then not apply when a vacancy occurs.

NEXT MEETING DATE 

The Committee decided to meet on Wednesday, October 12th prior to the Committee of the Whole Meeting. Any amendments that would be approved would be forwarded to the November 16, 2022, County Board Meeting for full Board consideration.

ADJOURNMENT 

It was moved by Mr. Campbell, seconded by Ms. Leifheit and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting at 7:32 p.m.

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/minutes-rules-09202022.pdf