DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Committee of the Whole met Sept. 13.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

The Committee of the Whole of the DeKalb County Board met in Sycamore, Illinois on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Chair Suzanne Willis called the meeting to order at 7:00pm. Those Members present were Tim Bagby, Scott Campbell, Mary Cozad, Rukisha Crawford, Meryl Domina, Patrick Deutsch, Laurie Emmer, John Frieders, Benjamin Haier, Rhonda Henke,

Savannah Ilenikhena, Kathy Lampkins, Maureen Little, Jim Luebke, Terri Mann-Lamb, Joseph Marcinkowski, Stewart Ogilvie, Jerry Osland, Roy Plote, Chris Porterfield, Amber Quitno, and Ellingsworth Webb. A quorum was established with twenty-three Members present, one absent.

Others present included Brian Gregory, David Berault, Tasha Sims, and Derek Hiland. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Webb moved to approve the agenda as presented. Ilenikhena seconded the motion.

Webb move to amend the agenda to remove item 6a. Discussion of the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation due to members of the Nation being unable to attend the meeting. Henke seconded the motion and it was carried by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

The Agenda was approved as amended by voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

It was moved by Cozad, seconded by Stewart Ogilvie and it was carried by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative, to approve the minutes of the August 9, 2023 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Mike Ostrom of Somonauk stated that he attended the September 11th Special Health & Human Services Committee Meeting. He explained that the Committee heard from Andrew Cutler of Jordan Healthcare about the financial viability of operating the DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center (DCRNC). Ostrom also explained that Bart Becker, the DCRNC Administrator spoke at the meeting regarding the reduction in agency staffing expenditures. Ostrom asked the Executive Committee to put a referendum on the next election ballot for a tax increase to support the DCRNC. Ostrom also suggested that Chair Willis owes Rukisha Crawford, the Chair of the Health & Human Services (HHS) Committee, an apology for trying to control the HHS Committee rather than letting Crawford run her own Committee meeting.

Madelyn Nelson expressed concern about the sale process of the DCRNC. She went on to read a publication from the Center of Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University regarding the role of County Administrators and sections of the County Code that pertain to the job description of the County Administrator. Nelson also suggested that the current County Administrator, Brian Gregory, has committed ethics violations and overstepped his authority.

Anna Wilhelmi stated that she would like the DCRNC to remain under County ownership. She explained that she was thrilled to hear that agency staffing expenditures have been significantly reduced, as well as that the County has been discussing ways to reduce the financial losses of the DCRNC. She went on to explain that she has concerns that the expansion of the DCRNC has not been furnished and opened because that could provide additional revenue.

CHAIR’S COMMENTS

Chair Willis extended an apology to Crawford if she felt that Chair Willis overstepped by trying to prevent members of the public from interjecting into the Committee’s discussion and contain the public’s input to the public comment portion of the agenda.

Chair Willis explained that consideration of terminating the sale of the DCRNC is not on the agenda so the County Board can not take action. She stated that County Board will wait for a decision by the Illinois Health Facilities & Services Review Board (IHFSRB) on October 3rd before taking any further action regarding the DCRNC. She explained that even if the IHFSRB does approve the Certificate of Need, the County does have the ability to terminate the sale, but not without penalty.

Crawford inquired whether or not Executive Committee can add items that have not gone through a Committee to the County Board Agenda. She stated that she believes items can be added to the County Board Agenda with a two-thirds vote and that she believes it would be beneficial for the County Board to discuss the matter. Chair Willis explained that action items need to be placed on the agenda 48 hours in advance prior to a vote. Crawford explained that she believes the Executive Committee can vote to add items to the County Board agenda. Willis explained that she does not know if that is the case and that discussion on that item should wait until after a decision by the IHFSRB.

Campbell clarified that the County Code has a provision which allows the Executive Committee to place action items on the County Board agenda that have not gone to a Committee with a two thirds majority vote. Chair Willis stated that adding an item to the County Board Agenda can be discussed further during the Executive Committee meeting.

Vice-Chair Frieders asked Chair Willis if it is her opinion that the sale agreements can be terminated any time prior to closing or if that is a legal opinion. Chair Willis stated that she was speaking from her personal experience with selling a home. Webb stated that any agreement can be terminated but that does not mean there will not be consequences associated with terminating.

PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

Reports from Appointed Boards & Commissions

Chair Willis began by explaining that she included Reports from Appointed Boards & Commissions on the agenda because there are County Board Members who also serve in various County Board appointed positions on Boards & Commissions throughout the County. She stated that the intention of having this agenda item is to allow those County Board Members the opportunity to provide reports from Appointed Boards & Commissions that they serve on.

Bagby asked staff to prepare a list of the Appointed Boards & Commissions that County Board Members serve on for the next Committee of the Whole meeting.

Chair Willis explained that she serves on the Regional Plan Commission, as well as the Northern Illinois Training Advisory Board. She explained that she attended the August 24th Regional Plan Commission meeting and the Commission discussed the results of a ridership study and the costs associated with extending a Metra line out to DeKalb. She stated that the initial cost projection for infrastructure is approximately $300 million with an annual operating expense of $11 million. Additionally, the Commission discussed a bill in the state legislature that, if approved, would issue a quit claim deed for Shabbona State Park to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. She explained that the Nation did not ask for this legislation to be introduced and the Committee of the Whole can discuss this further in October.

Osland asked how much land the Nation is looking to purchase. Chair Willis explained that they would like to owe approximately 1,250 acres. Osland inquired about the status of the titles of the homes located on the Nation’s original settlement area. County Administrator, Brian Gregory, explained that the titles are clouded and that part of the legislation states that the Nation would extinguish claim to those titles. Osland explained he, along with Mann-Lamb and Luebke, met with the Nation independently to discuss their plans for a reservation in DeKalb County and they explained that the Nation does not have intentions of building a casino.

Vice-Chair Frieders asked whether the legislation at the State level includes a payment to the Nation. Chair Willis explained that that is a component of the Federal legislation and not the State legislation.

Webb provided a point of order and asked for the discussion to take place at the October Committee of the Whole meeting as the Committee voted to remove it from this meeting’s agenda and Chair Willis agreed.

Chair Willis explained that she also attended a meeting of the Northern Illinois Training Advisory Board which involved the training of law enforcement officers in Boone, DeKalb, and Winnebago Counties. She explained that the Board has been working with the innocence project to add to the curriculum of law enforcement officer training. Chair Willis explained that the innocence project is a legal group who take on wrongful conviction cases.

Reports from Committee Chairs

d. Terri Mann-Lamb, Chair of Planning, Zoning, and Development Committee, reported that the Committee has brought forward six Ordinances: Ordinance O2023-013—An Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit for an 88-Acre, 5-Megawatt Solar Garden Located on the West Side of Somonauk Road in Squaw Grove Township, Ordinance O2023-019—An Ordinance Approving an Interim Special Use Permit for the installation of only one temporary meteorological station for eighteen (18) months on one of two possible sites located on Keslinger Road, in Afton Township, Ordinance O2023-020—An Ordinances Approving an Interim Special Use Permit for the installation of only one temporary meteorological station for eighteen (18) months on one of two possible sites located on Keslinger Road, in Afton Township, Ordinance O2023-021—An Ordinance Approving a Map Amendment on the 52-acre property and associated Special Use Permit for a 4.5-Megawatt Solar Garden on approximately 32-acres of the parcel located at 6236 State Route 38, in DeKalb Township, Ordinance O2023-022—An Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit for a 5-Megawatt commercial solar facility on 33.39-acres of the 53.54-acre property located on the northeast corner of South Mayfield and Glidden Roads, in Mayfield Township and Ordinance O2023-023—An Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit for 5-Megawatt commercial solar facility on a 40-acre property located on the west side of Polk Road, approximately 2,000 feet south of Poplar Road, in Genoa Township.

Patrick Deutsch, Chair of Highway Committee, shared that the Highway Committee has forwarded four Resolutions: Resolution R2023-080—A Resolution for a Jurisdictional Transfer of 0.41 mile of Stone Quarry Road to Franklin Road District, Resolution R2023-081—A Resolution Entering into a Supplemental Engineering Agreement with Willett Hoffmann & Associates for Somonauk Road Culvert Replacements Section Number 19-00268-00-BR, Resolution R2023-082—A Resolution Pledging Financial Commitment and Support for the Illinois Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to School Program for Plank Road Intersection Improvement, and Resolution R2023-083—A Resolution Entering into a Joint Funding Agreement for Construction Work with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), State of Illinois.

Rukisha Crawford, Chair of Human Health & Services Committee, reported that the Committee did not bring forward any actionable items.

Ellingsworth Webb, Chair of the Facilities & Technology Committee, shared that the Committee has brough forward a. Resolution R2023-084—A Resolution Approving a Ground Lease Agreement with USCOC of Central Illinois LLC of Chicago, Illinois for a Telecommunications Tower on 2,500 Square Feet on the DeKalb County Highway Department Campus, DeKalb, Illinois.

Kathy Lampkins, Chair of Law & Justice Committee, reported that the Committee met and heard from Nathan Murry, an Officer from the Department of Natural Resources, who provided the Committee with an overview of hunting regulations, and discussed a dispute between land owners regarding hunting on private property. Additionally, the Committee was provided with a presentation from the Court Services Department about the County’s Pretrial Services Program.

Scott Campbell, Chair of Finance & Administration Committee, reported that the Committee has forwarded eight Resolutions: Resolution R2023-085—A Resolution Placing the FY2024 Budget on File for Public Inspection, Resolution R2023-086—A Resolution Approving an Updated Capital Asset Policy, Resolution R2023-087—A Resolution Approving Amendments to the FY2023 Budget, Resolution R2023-088—A Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chair to Surrender the Tax Sale Certificate for Parcel Number 08-01-401-0005 2558J, Located in Sycamore, Illinois, to James & Michaelene Holub in the Amount of Six Hundred Fifty-One Dollars and Sixty Cents, Resolution R2023-089—A Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chair to Execute a Deed of Conveyance for Parcel Number 11-03-176-005, Located in DeKalb, Illinois, to Josh Holbrook, for Destan Aliu, in the Amount of Five Hundred Sixty-Eight Dollars and Forty Cents, Resolution R2023-090—A Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chair to Execute a Deed of Conveyance for Parcel Number 07-23-326-004, Located in Malta, Illinois, to AJEX INVESTMENTS LLC, S & C Renovations LLC, in the Amount of Twenty-Three Thousand Two Hundred Fifty-Two Dollars and Ninety-Seven Cents, Resolution R2023-091—A Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chair to Execute a Deed of Conveyance for Parcel Number 08-23- 180-015, Located in DeKalb, Illinois, to Legend Restoration LLC, in the Amount of Fourteen Thousand Nine Hundred Forty-Three Dollars and Ninety-Two Cents, and Resolution R2023- 092—A Resolution Approving the Payment of County Claims for September 2023, and Off-Cycle Claims Paid During the Previous Month, Including All Claims for Travel, Meals, and Lodging, in the Amount of $10,374,013.20.

Vice Chair Frieders shared that following this meeting, the Executive Committee would be considering Resolution R2023-093—A Resolution Authorizing the Extension of the Special Use Permits Granted to DK Solar, LLC, for Solar Projects MI-21-22 & MI-21-23 in Milan Township and Resolution R2023-094—A Resolution Authorizing the Extension of the Special Use Permits Granted to FFP Community Solar, LLC for the Fitzgerald-Shabbona Projects SH-21-28 & SH-21-

29, in Shabbona Township.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

Mr. Gregory shared that prior to the County Board Meeting, there will be a FY2024 Preliminary Budget presentation. The initial budget is balanced as presented. The County is going to see an average increase of 6.5% on property values and this budget proposes a decrease in the County’s property tax rate of of 7.5%. This would mean a slight decrease for the average, existing property tax payer. Gregory went on to state that this is only the preliminary budget and is subject to change before it is finalized.

Gregory told the Committee that the IHFSRB has tabled the consideration of the Certificate of Need for the DCRNC until their October 3rd meeting, which will be held at the Bolingbrook Country Club at 9am. He welcomed County Board Members to attend and participate.

Bart Becker, the Administrator of the DCRNC, told the Health & Human Services Committee that he has been able to hire and retain seventeen additional CNAs, which is helping reduce the facility’s dependence on agency staffing.

The Administration Building has had new flooring installed in the entry, and the Public Building Commission has selected an architect to create plans so that the public bathrooms can be renovated to become ADA accessible.

Finally, Mr. Gregory stated that the Highway Department’s Annual Tour is scheduled for October 17th at 9am and if any Board Members are interested in attending, they should contact the Highway Department to reserve a seat.

ADJOURNMENT

Lampkins moved to adjourn the meeting. Webb seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously.

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/minutes-cow-09132023.pdf