Kane County Board met March 22.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Adjourned Meeting of the Kane County Board was held at the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A, Geneva, IL 60134.
Chairman Pierog called the meeting to order at 3:47 PM.
2. ROLL CALL
| Attendee Name | Organization | Title | Status | Arrived | Departed |
| Corinne M. Pierog | Kane County | Chairman | Present | ||
| Deborah Allan | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Mavis Bates | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Dale Berman | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| David Brown | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Mark Davoust | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Ron Ford | Kane County | Board Member | Present | 3:59 PM | |
| Drew Frasz | Kane County | Board Member | Present | 5:43 PM | |
| Michelle Gumz | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Mo Iqbal | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Michael Kenyon | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Chris Kious | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Tom Koppie | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Bill Lenert | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Anita Lewis | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| John Martin | Kane County | Board Member | Present | 5:43 PM | |
| Myrna Molina | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Jarett Sanchez | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Kenneth C. Shepro | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Monica Silva | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Cherryl Strathmann | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Clifford Surges | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Vern Tepe | Kane County | Board Member | Present | ||
| Todd Wallace | Kane County | Board Member | Remote | ||
| Barbara Wojnicki | Kane County | Board Member | Present |
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION
Board member Strathmann said the Pledge. There was no invocation.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
None.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
None
6. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. PRESENTATION/DISCUSSION
A change in the agenda followed.
· Youth Preparedness (Beth Drendel)
Office of Emergency Management Officer Beth Drendel discussed the emergency preparedness classes she holds to teach and train the county's youth in various emergency situations and to teach the youth to trust first responders. At the end of the classes the youth are provided with To Go bags, which are preparedness kits. (Ford arrives). Officer Drendel also holds classes for adults.
· ARP Committee
Res. #22 - 107 Authorizing Award Amounts for Competitive Community Support Grants and the Execution of Community Support Grant Agreements
Words of appreciation went to Member Sanchez and his committee for accomplishing this task.
| RESULT: ADOPTED BY ROLL CALL VOTE [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jarett Sanchez, Board Member SECONDER: Barbara Wojnicki, Board Member AYES: Deborah Allan, Mavis Bates, Dale Berman, David Brown, Mark Davoust, Ron Ford, Drew Frasz, Michelle Gumz, Mo Iqbal, Michael Kenyon, Chris Kious, Tom Koppie, Bill Lenert, Anita Lewis, John Martin, Myrna Molina, Jarett Sanchez, Kenneth C. Shepro, Monica Silva, Cherryl Strathmann, Clifford Surges, Vern Tepe, Todd Wallace, Barbara Wojnicki |
Madam Chair acknowledged the board’s concern about taxes, however, she voiced that the proposal does not impact the board but does impact the residents of Kane County. Each proposal discusses how the county can improve services to its residents over time. It will be the focus of the board’s discussion.
C. Review of Procedure on Placing the Proposed Special County Sales Tax on the June or November 2022 Ballot (Mosser/Coyle)
· Placing a Sample Referendum as a Non-Binding Advisory Referendum on the June 28, 2022 Ballot
State’s Attorney Mosser explained the steps involved to place the special County Retailer’s Occupation Tax question on the ballot, with the board to choose one of four topics: 1) public safety; 2) public facilities; 3) mental health, substance abuse; and 4) transportation. Once the topic is chosen and the resolution is drafted and brought before the board, the board will determine if the referendum will be an advisory referendum or a binding referendum. Mosser stated the resolution, when passed, will have be adopted by April 10 for the Primary election and then certified by the Clerk by April 21. Details followed. If this was something the board wanted, the tax would either be .25% or .5% tax. A sample resolution followed.
Questions/concerns followed on whether community outreach would take place, could a survey be distributed, was there enough time before the fast approaching Primary election, and how accurate were the revenue projections for the County. Madam Chair voiced her preference to have Finance Director Onzick participate at another meeting to provide those figures. However, her understanding of the State’s estimate was that.25% would bring in somewhere of $12.5M dollars annually. Clarification followed by Atty. Mosser that the referendum question could be placed before any scheduled election. Madam Chair emphasized to the board that the decision to include the tax did not have to be decided upon until after the Primary election if the board wanted to wait for more information -- it could be placed on the November ballot but all documentation would have to be filed with the Clerk’s Office by August 15. Member Martin raised the fact that no finite numbers existed to bring the referendum to the electorate.
Member Lenert thought best that Director Onzick send the board a report on what additional money could be generated by the tax and what items would be taxed, so the board could make a decision on the appropriate category. Further emphasis was voiced by Madam Chair that the board would be voting on the procedure and not the actual question.
Motion by Martin, second by Shepro to have no advisory referendum question on the June 28, 2022 Primary ballot. Board dialog followed as to the reasons why the advisory question should not be placed on the Primary ballot. Roll call followed:
Aye: Allan, Berman, Brown, Davoust, Ford, Frasz, Gumz, Iqbal, Kenyon, Kious, Koppie, Lenert, Lewis, Martin, Sanchez, Shepro, Strathmann, Surges, Tepe, Wallace, Wojnicki
Nay: Bates, Silva Away: Molina
Vote: 21-2 MOTION PASSED
Motion by Berman, second by Shepro to adjourn the meeting at 4:56 p.m. Roll call:
Aye: Berman, Brown, Davoust, Iqbal, Kenyon, Lenert, Lewis, Martin, Shepro, Surges, Wallace, Wojnicki
Nay: Allan, Bates, Ford, Frasz, Gumz, Kious, Koppie, Molina, Sanchez, Silva, Strathmann, Tepe, Chairwoman Pierog
Vote: 12-13 MOTION FAILED.
(The meeting continued.)
· Review Sample Ballot for the November 8, 2022 Ballot
See above discussion.
D. Presentation/Discussion
· Overview of Funding Requests
A. Transportation
Transportation engineer, Carl Schoedel, referenced his one page summary discussing the congestion issues that were identified in the County. Approximately $1.0B dollars of investment has been identified for various projects with 20% of those funds identified of where they will come from and the remaining 80% gap to be funded by part of the .25% sales tax.
Members started discussing a sunset clause with Member Frasz pointed out the ever increasing costs of transportation, sheriff's officers, patrol cars, etc., and the fact that such items will rarely decrease. He did not support a sunset clause. On the other hand, Member Silva supported the idea of the board being able to remove a sunset clause in favor of the voters, and the fact that the voters could re-evaluate a program.
B. Mental Health
Asst. Director for the Health Department, Michael Isaacson shared his one-page presentation regarding the impact of behavioral health on Kane County residents and the need for resources to address the issues. He stated an advisory board, not the County Board, would be created to allocate the funds to the various mental health agencies. Member Koppie shared his own views on mental health and supported comments by Member Silva.
C. Public Facilities
Interim Buildings Management Dir. Fahnestock reviewed his one-page summary and discussed the sharing of costs associated with the county's buildings as well as their deferred maintenance costs, totaling approximately $2.0M dollars to $5.0M dollars per year for the county’s 30 buildings. Fahnestock reported an estimated $150M dollars was being allotted for constructed space accommodations and the county’s master plan was addressing the types of buildings and spaces that would be needed for the near- and long-term future. Should the Board like to pay off $20M per year for the next 10 years, Madam Chair calculated the tax would be $.50 on $100.00 dollars or, if it was to be extended 20 years, then it would be taxed at $.25 per $100.00 dollars with sunset clauses. Member Frasz stated the county’s 2014 Master Plan was being updated and much information would become available when completed. Secondly, he noted the county currently did not have much bonding capacity as other counties and was in very good shape.
D. Public Safety
State's Atty. Mosser presented for the Judicial and Public Safety budget, acknowledging that public safety would not be just for the State’s Attorney’s Office. From previous reports given at the Judicial and Public Safety Committee, a number of disparities were identified including disparity in pay between offices and disparity in pay between judicial and public safety in other counties with similar populations to Kane County. Mosser pointed out the Safe-T Act is an unfunded mandate but her office was seeking funding for it through grants, acknowledging that much more was needed to be in compliance with the Act. Mosser spoke to the need for additional funding to address the increase in domestic violence, DUI and other substance use among adults and violence against children cases, etc. Funds for these areas would continue to be needed throughout the entirety of the criminal justice system based on what was currently occurring in the country. Her figures were just for the judiciary portion, the Circuit Clerk’s office, KaneComm and public defenders and her request would be for the $.50 tax.
Chairwoman Pierog’s projected annual costs for public safety totaled $25.8M dollars which did not include capital costs. Shepro expressed that the input received during the last Judicial Public Safety Committee meeting supported this area of need and while transportation was important, the bonding mechanism could be used versus paying out of sales tax revenue. Choosing the public safety area to cover many mental health programs seemed to him the best way to move forward.
Chairwoman Pierog’s projected costs for mental health costs (courts, diagnostic center, veterans court, drug court, JJC counseling staffing, men’s health at 10% inflation) totaled $2.4M dollars and did not include money for those that are not in the court system.
· Next Steps: Discussion/Decision
A. Narrow Selection: What questions need to be answered to make an informed decision?
Chair Pierog suggested that the board narrow the four areas to fund down to two areas so that the numbers could be prepared (by Onzick) and reviewed more carefully.
B. Budget: Overview of the impact this tax will have on the County's Budget. C. Define next steps.
Member Shepro suggested that staff have the projections first before making decisions on the specific topics and to consider needs/wants/mandates. Members appeared to favor having hard numbers prior so that the board can answer the taxpayers’ questions, because, as Martin pointed out, the county may receive no funding if the referendum does not pass. (Frasz and Martin leave meeting at 5:43 p.m.) After much dialog, board consensus was received to focus on public safety with mental health under its umbrella.
E. Decision to Place the Selected Issue on the June 28, 2022 Ballot as a Non-Binding, Advisory Referendum
None.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Berman, second by Shepro to adjourn the meeting.
This meeting was adjourned at 5:48 PM.
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