DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Board met Feb. 19.

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

1. Roll Call

2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

3. Approval of Agenda

4. Approval of Minutes:

a. January 22, 2025 County Board Meeting

5. Communications & Proclamations:

a. Employee Service Awards – February 2025

6. Public Comments

Any member of the public may address the County Board for up to 3 minutes on any topic of their choosing. There will be no yielding of time to other members of the public and agenda time for public comments is limited to 30 minutes in total.

7. Approval of Appointments for this Month:

DCRNC Oversight Board

• Rukisha Crawford re-appointed for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2025 and expiring December 31, 2026.

• Rhonda Henke re-appointed for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2025 and expiring December 31, 2026.

Community Mental Health Board 708

• Kimberly Volk appointed to fill a four-year term beginning January 1, 2022 and expiring December 31, 2025.

• April Chmara appointed to fill a four-year term beginning January 1, 2023 and expiring December 31, 2026.

• Kate McCabe appointed to fill a four-year term beginning January 1, 2023 and expiring December 31, 2026.

County Board Committee Assignments

• Rukisha Crawford appointed immediately to the Facilities & Technology Committee in place of Meryl Domina until November 30, 2026.

8. Reports of Standing Committees with Ordinances & Resolutions

PLANNING, ZONING & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

No Actionable Items

COUNTY HIGHWAY COMMITTEE

a. Resolution R2025-010—A Resolution Awarding purchase of a Peterbilt 548 Tandem Axle Cab & Chassis Truck with warranty options in the amount of $144,919.11 to JX Truck Center, of Wadsworth, Illinois.

For the bid opening on January 30, 2025, Resolution #R2025-010 awards the low bid meeting specification out of two bidders in the amount of $144,919.11 to JX Truck Center, of Wadsworth, Illinois.

Committee Action: The Highway Committee considered Resolution R2025-010 on February 6th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

b. Resolution R2025-011—A Resolution Awarding purchase of a Bobcat T76 T4 Compact Track Loader with combination bucket, hydraulic breaker, and brush cutter attachments in the Amount of $78,289.69 to Atlas Bobcat, of DeKalb, Illinois.

For the bid opening on January 30, 2025, Resolution #R2025-011 awards the low bid meeting specifications out of two bidders in the amount of $78,289.69 to Atlas Bobcat, of DeKalb, Illinois.

Committee Action: The Highway Committee considered Resolution R2025-011 on February 6th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

a. Resolution R2025-012—A Resolution Authorizing an Open Purchasing Order for FY2025 Health Department Related Advertising and Marketing with Shaw Media of Crystal Lake, Illinois, in the Amount Not to Exceed $112,000.

Resolution R2025-012 authorizes an open purchasing order for FY2025 Health Department Related Advertising and Marketing with Shaw Media, which will allow the Health Department to meet grant requirements. DeKalb County Health Department is the lead agency for the Illinois Tobacco Free Communities (ITFC) regional grant and has partnered four other counties in the region to carry out grant activities. As the lead agency, DeKalb County coordinates larger scale tobacco prevention media campaigns required by the grant by utilizing Shaw Media, which has the ability to reach all four counties named in the grant.

Shaw Media is a sole source provider for geofencing and targeted advertisements within DeKalb County, and all of the surrounding counties, that the Health Department collaborates with for this specific grant. The expenditures are budgeted and will paid for utilizing grant funding, in an amount not to exceed $112,000 in FY2025.

Committee Action: The Health & Human Services Committee considered Resolution R2025-012 on February 3rd and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by roll call vote, with five votes cast in the affirmative and one opposed.

FACILITIES & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

No Actionable Items

LAW & JUSTICE COMMITTEE

No Actionable Items

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

Tax Abatement Resolutions

The County has three outstanding bond obligations; the 2017 Alternate Revenue Bonds, the 2020 Refunding Bond and 2020 Nursing Home Expansion Bonds. These bonds were issued by the County Board at various times as an external funding source for various projects within the County. At the time these bonds were issued, the County anticipated that these bonds would be retired by non-property tax revenues through the FY2025 Property Tax & Debt Stabilization Plan.

It is mandated that in the event that non-property tax revenues are not sufficient to retire the debt, property taxes would be used to pay the debt service. When the County authorizes a bond issue, the DeKalb County Clerk is directed to automatically levy a property tax for the each of the bond issuesin each of their applicable tax yearsto fund this debt retirement. DeKalb County Government may abate these property tax levies each year if sufficient monies are available in designated funds prior to the time the County Clerk extends taxes for the ensuing year.

The DeKalb County Board took action to levy property taxes in a manner that would capture revenue from new construction and reclassified land while aiming to slightly reduce taxes paid by existing tax payers on average for Tax Year 2024, payable in 2025. Sufficient monies from the non-property tax revenue sources are available in the FY2025 Budget to allow the County Board to abate the property tax levies for the three outstanding bond obligations.

a. Resolution R2025-013—A Resolution Abating the Entire Property Tax Levy for the 2024 Tax Year for the 2017 Jail Expansion Bond Issue.

In June of 2017, the County Board authorized the issuance of $33,905,000 in bonds to finance the renovation and expansion of the County Jail. The repayment schedule for the 2017 Jail Expansion Bond Issue includes fiscal years 2017 through 2048. At the time that the bonds were issued, the County anticipated that these bonds would be retired mainly by host community agreement fees generated from waste deposited into the DeKalb County Landfill, and sales tax revenues generated from sales atstores on the site of the formerCounty Farm which isthe southeast corner of Sycamore Road and Barber Greene Road in DeKalb. This Resolution abates the property tax levy for the 2017 Jail Expansion Bond Issue in the amount of $1,656,106.26.

Committee Action: The Finance & Administration Committee considered Resolution R2025-013 on February 5th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

b. Resolution R2025-014—A Resolution Abating the Entire Property Tax Levy for the 2024 Tax Year for the 2020 Nursing Home Expansion Bond Issue.

In August of 2020, the County Board authorized the issuance of $13,000,000 in bonds to finance the expansion of and improvements to the DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center. The repayment schedule for the 2020 Nursing Home Expansion Bond Issue includes fiscal years 2020 through 2049. At the time the bonds were issues, it was anticipated that these bonds would be retired by the net revenue derived from the operation of the DeKalb County Rehab & Nursing Center. The Jordan Healthcare Group Business Plan that was approved by the County Board as part of the FY2025 Budget includes funds allocated to cover the FY2025 Debt Service payment for the 2020 Nursing Home Expansion Bond Issue. This Resolution abates the entire property tax levy for the 2020 Nursing Home Expansion Bond Issue in the amount of $900,000.

Committee Action: The Finance & Administration Committee considered Resolution R2025-014 on February 5th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

c. Resolution R2025-015—A Resolution Abating the Entire Property Tax Levy for the 2024 Tax Year for the 2020A Refunding Bond Issue.

In October of 2010, the County Board authorized the issuance of $16,000,000 in bonds to finance the expansion of the Courthouse and a study for the expansion of the County Jail. The County Board subsequently sold $8,685,000 in bonds in October of 2020 to refund a portion of the County’s outstanding General Obligation Bonds. At the time the Bonds were issued, it was anticipated that these bonds would be retired mainly by sales tax revenues generated from sales at stores on the site of the former County Farm which is the southeast corner of Sycamore Road and Barber Greene Road in DeKalb. This Resolution abates the property tax levy for the 2020A Refunding Bond Issue in the amount of $1,192,800.

Committee Action: The Finance & Administration Committee considered Resolution R2025-015 on February 5th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

d. Resolution R2025-016—A Resolution Abating the Entire Property Tax Levy for the 2024 Tax Year for Recapture Revenues.

DeKalb County Government has an option under 35ILCS 200/18-233 to collect certain property tax dollars related to prior year adjustments for certificates in error, Property Tax Appeal Board final administrative decision and qualified court orders. These funds are automatically recognized and reflected on each taxing district’s Levy Confirmation. Throughout the preparation of the County’s property tax levy for Tax Year 2024, the County Board expressed their philosophy of County Government working within its means and reducing the burden on existing taxpayers. This resulted in the approval of a tax levy that lowers property taxes for the average existing taxpayer by capturing revenue from new construction. The County Board has the option to abate the “Recaptured Revenues” to maintain the intent of the approved levy. This Resolution abates the property tax levy for Recapture Revenues in the amount of $56,428.

Committee Action: The Finance & Administration Committee considered Resolution R2025-016 on February 5th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

e. Resolution R2025-017—A Resolution Approving the Payment of County Claims for February 2025, and Off-Cycle Claims Paid During the Previous Month, Including All Claims for Travel, Meals, and Lodging in the Amount of $9,003,052.57.

Committee Action: The Finance & Administration Committee considered Resolution R2025-017 on February 5th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

f. Reports of County Officials: Accept and place on file the following Reports of County Officials.

Cash & Investments in County Banks – January 2025

Public Defender’s Report – January 2025

Adult & Juvenile Monthly Reports – January 2025

Pretrial Report – January 2025

Sheriff’s Jail Report – January 2025

Building Permits & Construction Reports – January 2025

DCRNC Monthly Report – January 2025

DCRNC Quarterly Report – 4th Quarter 2024

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

a. Resolution R2025-018—A Resolution Approving and Authorizing an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement Between the City of Sandwich and County of DeKalb Concerning Zoning and Building Regulations for Property Located at 21 Gletty Road, Sandwich, Illinois 60548.

Resolution R2025-018 authorizes the execution of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement between the City of Sandwich and the County DeKalb Concerning Zoning and Building Regulations for Property Located at 21 Gletty Road, Sandwich, Illinois 60548. Under this agreement, the zoning and building regulations of the City of Sandwich shall apply and be in authority and force for the subject property.

Committee Action: The Executive Committee considered Resolution R2025-018 on February 11th and forwarded the Resolution to the County Board with a favorable recommendation by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

9. Old Business

10. New Business & Referral of Matters to Committee

11. Adjournment

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/agenda-cb-02192025.pdf