DeKalb Times

DeKalb County Committee of the Whole met May 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

The Committee of the Whole of the DeKalb County Board met in Sycamore, Illinois on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Chair John Frieders called the meeting to order at 7:00pm. Those Members present were Tim Bagby, Scott Campbell, Kim Coovert, Mary Cozad, Rukisha Crawford, Meryl Domina, Laurie Emmer, Benjamin Haier, Rhonda Henke, Laura Hoffman, Savannah Ilenikhena, Rebecca Johnson, Kathy Lampkins, Elizabeth Lundeen, Joseph Marcinkowski, Michelle Pickett, Roy Plote, Chris Porterfield and Ellingsworth Webb. A quorum was established with Twenty Members present and four absent. Patrick Deutsch was absent at the time of roll call, having arrived at 7:03pm.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Pickett moved to approve the agenda as presented. Marcinkowski seconded the motion and the motion was approved via voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

It was moved by Webb, seconded by Crawford and it was carried by a voice vote, with all votes cast in the affirmative, to approve the minutes of the April 9, 2025 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

William Heimbigner addressed the Committee and congratulated County Clerk & Recorder Tasha Sims on taking the appropriate steps to correct an issue with ballots related to a referendum for the Shabbona Fire Protection District. Heimbigner’s full statement is attached to these minutes as “Exhibit A”.

Berkley Bean spoke in favor of the re-appointment of Robert “Hank” Frazier to the Shabbona Fire Protection District Board.

Mary Hatch spoke in support of Resolution R2025-059—A Resolution Authorizing the Creation of an Additional Accounting Clerk A Position in the DCRNC Business Office.

John Ritter spoke in favor of the re-appointment of Robert “Hank” Frazier to the Shabbona Fire Protection District Board.

Anna Wilhelmi spoke in support of Resolution R2025-059—A Resolution Authorizing the Creation of an Additional Accounting Clerk A Position in the DCRNC Business Office.

Michelle Green spoke in support of Resolution R2025-059—A Resolution Authorizing the Creation of an Additional Accounting Clerk A Position in the DCRNC Business Office.

CHAIR’S COMMENTS

There were no Comments from the Chair.

PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

Report on April 1, 2025 Ballot Omission for the Shabbona Fire Protection District Referendum

County Clerk & Recorder Tasha Sims provided an overview of the Report on April 1, 2025 Ballot Omission for the Shabbona Fire Protection District Referendum that can be found in the May 14, 2025 Committee of the Whole Agenda Packet. Sims explained that the report was produced in response to a request from a member of the public.

Reports from Appointed Boards & Commissions

Plote, who serves as a member of the County’s Emergency Telephone Systems Board (E911), shared that revenue from surcharges has been restored to normal.

Rukisha Crawford shared that the Workforce Development Board is working on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. She also shared that Kane County is launching a program to add accessibility kiosks to their buildings.

Webb shared that he will be attending upcoming meetings for the IACBM Nursing Home Committee, IACBM spring meeting.

Reports from Committee Chairs

Tim Bagby, Chair of the Planning, Zoning, and Development Committee, reported that the Committee forwarded the following Ordinances

a. O2025-05—An ordinance approving a Special Use Permit for a 4.99-Megawatt Commercial Solar Energy System located on the Southeast Corner of Scout Road and Lost Acre Lane in Franklin Township.

b. O2025-06— An ordinance approving an Interim Special Use Permit to allow for the placement of a mobile home as living quarters for financially or physically dependent relatives on property located at 15137 Whipple Road in Sycamore Township.

c. O2025-07—An ordinance approving an update to the DeKalb County Code regarding consolidating the County’s Flood Plain Regulations to bring all elements of the County’s Code together to meet the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provisions.

Savannah Ilenikhena, Chair of Highway Committee, shared that the Committee has forwarded the following Resolutions:

a. R2025-057—A Resolution Entering into a Joint Funding Agreement for State Construction work through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), State of Illinois for Section #21-00187-02-RS Barber Greene Road and various trails.

b. R2025-058—A Resolution Entering into a Joint Funding Agreement for State Construction work through the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), State of Illinois for Section #23-00101-01-RS Somonauk Road.

Rukisha Crawford, Chair of Human Health & Services Committee, reported that the Committee has forwarded the following Resolutions:

a. R2025-059—A Resolution Authorizing the Creation of an Additional Accounting Clerk A Position in the DCRNC Business Office.

b. R2025-060—A Resolution Awarding Grant Year 2026 Senior Service Tax Levy Funding.

Michelle Pickett, Chair of Facilities & Technology Committee, reported that the Committee did not meet this month.

Kathy Lampkins, Chair of Law & Justice Committee, reported that the Committee forwarded Resolution R2025-055—A Resolution in Authorizing the County Board Chair to Execute Intergovernmental Agreements Between the DeKalb County Information Management Office, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and Municipalities Utilizing DeKalb County’s Network and Infrastructure for the One Solution Mobile Computing Application (MCT).

Scott Campbell, Chair of Finance & Administration Committee, reported that the Committee forwarded the following items:

a. Ordinance O2025-08—An Ordinance Implementing a County Grocery Retailers’ Occupation Tax and a County Grocery Service Occupation Tax for the County of DeKalb.

b. Resolution R2025-061—A Resolution Approving Year-End Budget Amendments for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2024.

c. Resolution R2025-062—A Resolution Approving the Payment of County Claims for May 2025, and Off-Cycle Claims Paid During the Previous Month, Including All Claims for Travel, Meals, and Lodging.

Vice-Chair Webb shared that following this meeting, the Executive Committee would be considering Resolution R2025-063—A Resolution Reappointing Bridget Nodurft to the position of Supervisor of Assessments for Four-Year Term Effective April 1, 2025.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

Interim County Administrator Derek Hiland did not provide a report.

OLD BUSINESS

There were no Old Business items.

NEW BUSINESS

Chair Frieders asked for the consideration of appointment of Roy Plote as Vice-Chair of the Finance & Administration Committee to be added to the County Board Agenda.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Lampkins moved to enter into Executive Session for the purposes of discussing Probable or Imminent Litigation per 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) at 7:44 p.m. Crawford seconded the motion and it was carried by a 21-0-3 roll call vote. Those voting aye were Members Bagby, Campbell, Coovert, Cozad, Crawford, Deutsch, Domina, Emmer, Haier, Henke, Hoffman, Ilenikhena, Johnson, Lampkins, Lundeen, Marcinkowski, Pickett, Plote, Porterfield, Webb and Chair Frieders.

The Committee entered back into their Open Meeting at 8:41pm.

ADJOURNMENT

Crawford moved to adjourn the meeting. Pickett seconded the motion and it was carried unanimously.

https://dekalbcounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/packet-cow-06112025.pdf