Kane County Reporter

Kane County Board met Nov. 6.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

***SPECIAL MEETING*** 

1. CALL TO ORDER 

A Special Meeting of the Kane County Board was held at the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. A, Geneva, IL 60134 on November 6, 2023.

Chairman Pierog called the meeting to order at 10:06 AM.

2. ROLL CALL 

PRESENT: Board Member Mavis Bates

Board Member Dale Berman

Board Member Mark Davoust

Board Member Michelle Gumz

Board Member Leslie Juby

Board Member Mo Iqbal

Board Member Michael Kenyon

Board Member Chris Kious

Board Member Anita Lewis

Board Member Myrna Molina

Board Member Bill Roth

Board Member Monica Silva

Board Member Cherryl Strathmann

Board Member Clifford Surges

Board Member Vern Tepe

Board Member Rick Williams

Chairman Corinne M. Pierog

REMOTE: Board Member Deborah Allan

Board Member Gary Daugherty

Board Member Michael Linder

Board Member Bill Lenert

Board Member Jarett Sanchez

Board Member Bill Tarver

ABSENT: Board Member Ron Ford

Board Member David Young

3. REMOTE ATTENDANCE REQUESTS 

Madam Chair asked if there was any objection to allow Board Members Allan, Daugherty, Sanchez, Lenert, and Linder, Tarver to join the meeting remotely. No objections were voiced.

Also Present: Clerk Chf. Dpty. Weilandt; Finance Exec. Dir. Hopkinson; Bldg. Mgmt. and I.T. Dir. Fahnestock* & staff; KDOT Dir. Schoedel & staff Rickert*; Auditor Wegman; Treasurer Lauzen; Asst. State's Attys. Frank, Shepro, Ford & CFO Hunt; Animal Control Admin. Youngsteadt* and members of the press & public.

4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & INVOCATION 

Member Davoust led the assembly in the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance. Public Health Committee Chair Strathmann distributed gifts of silly putty from the County's Public Health Department. Member Kenyon announced to the board this Saturday, November 11th, was Veterans Day/Armistice Day. He thanked all veterans for their service.

Member Lenert commented that this board received notice of this meeting and agenda at 3:00 PM on November 2, 2023. He asked for the validity of the meeting and the opinion of Atty. Shepro regarding the County's ordinance for mailing the notice and agenda. Madam Chair stated the board was notified of today's meeting on October 23, 2023.

Special Asst. Atty. Sherpo asked for a half hour recess at 10:15 AM for the purpose of consulting with additional SAO attorneys on this matter. Motion by Member Roth, second by Berman to take a recess at 10:15 AM. A voice vote followed. The motion passed with one objection. (Williams objected.) 

The board reconvened at 11:08 AM. The roll was called.

Present: Allan* Bates, Berman, Daugherty*, Davoust, Gumz, Iqbal, Juby, Kenyon, Kious, Lenert*, Lewis, Linder*, Molina, Roth, Sanchez*, Silva, Strathmann, Surges, Tarver*, Tepe, Williams 

Absent: Ford, Young 

A quorum was established. 

ASA Frank stated he met with Attys. Ford, Shepro, and Brady and after discussing the matter, recommended the following: that no voting take place on the resolutions except for the approval of placing the draft budget on display. All other resolutions and final budget approval would take place at the November 21, 2023 special County Board meeting.

Member Lenert concurred with counsel's recommendation.

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None 

6. PUBLIC COMMENT (Agenda Items) 

Madam Chair invited public comment on agenda items only.

Mr. Brian Anderson, Sugar Grove, thanked the board members who attended executive committee and appreciated the executive committee not supporting the gas tax and listening to the constituents. As for the fiscal responsibility aspect, he addressed high inflation and high property taxes with Illinois being the second highest in the nation. Property tax statistics for Kane County also followed. He believed the county has been working well under the 13 year property freeze, the treasurer was doing a good job and $53.0M dollars was in the county. While everything around the county was increasing, he asked the board to be prudent in its finances.

Marylee Leu, resident of Aurora, addressed the City of Aurora's casino TIF district which would not be taxes going to the county but stay inside the TIF district for 23 years. She believed Kane County should receive its portion. Ms. Leu voiced that Penn Entertainment made$2.75B Dollars in the past two years and believed the $5.25M Dollars of TIF funds should remain in the county. Sjhe asked the board to consider the TIF funds it will lose from Sugar Grove and the City of Geneva for its warehouse construction. She suggested a board member attend the JRB meeting on November 8th, 10:00 AM and not support the proposed casino TIF district and represent the county's financial interest..

Kate Cuneo, Batavia resident, was supportive of having a staff member attend the JRB meeting and to not support the casino TIF district proposal. The county's funds needed to support county initiatives and support its schools, parks, constituents, etc.

Resident, Mr. Jim Whittington, discussed the board's need to cut waste from its budget. He shared an example. While he appreciated the comment about the veterans he also found it condescending at the same time.

Michelle Betteg, St. Charles, questioned if board members really research the budget items. She addressed the high inflation, high credit cards, and stated the county's resources are stretched to the limits, yet the board chairman wants to spend $750,000 on a plan for a $110.0M Dollar new government center and a $30 Million Dollar health center. With the economy the way it was, she asked the board to cut its costs, otherwise the residents will be leaving the state. She asked the board to use some of its reserve money and to not support additional funding from the taxpayers.

7. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

A. FY24 Budget Update (K. Hopkinson)

Finance Dir. Hopkinson reviewed a presentation on the budget, noting a few minor updates from the prior Executive Committee meeting. Details followed.

Comments/questions followed as to the State's Attorneys own equity adjustment study and that it was presented at the Human Services Committee, which was included in the budget. Board Member Iqbal felt it was up to the board to accept or reject the SAO's study. Additional questions followed regarding the correct appropriation numbers for the budget, various special revenue funds, maintaining/reducing the insurance liability fund, and a re-review of the property tax inflation rate calculation used by Director Hopkinson.

The following resolutions were placed on the November 21, 2023 Special County Board Agenda

8. RESOLUTIONS/ORDINANCES 

CONSENT AGENDA

The following Consent Agenda items were held over to the November 21, 2023 Special County Board meeting.

Adopting the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Appropriations and 23-474 Budget

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the General Fund (AS AMENDED) 23-476 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Insurance Liability Fund 23-475 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund 23-477 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Social Security Fund 23-478 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the County Highway Fund 23-479 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the County Bridge Fund 23-480 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the County Highway Matching Fund 23-481 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Kane County Health Fund 23-482 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Veterans' Commission Fund 23-483 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for Mill Creek Special Service Area 23-484 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Shirewood Farm Special Service 23-485 Area

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Wildwood West Special Billing Area 23-486 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Plank Road Estates Special Billing 23-487 Area

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Exposition View Special Billing Area 23-488 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Pasadena Drive Special Billing Area 23-489 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Tamara Dittman Special Billing Area 23-490 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Church Molitor Special Service Area 23-491 

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the 45W185 Plank Road Special Service 23-492 Area

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Boyer Road Special Service Area 23-493 RESULT: HELD OVER 

Adopting a Tax Levy for the Crane Road Estates Special Billing 23-494 Area

RESULT: HELD OVER 

Authorizing Fiscal Year 2024 Non-Union Cost-of-Living Wage 23-495 Increase

RESULT: HELD OVER 

END OF CONSENT AGENDA

ROLL CALL

(The board took a five minute recess at 12:27 PM. and reconvened at 12:32 PM.) For attendance purposes, the roll was called to ensure a quorum.

PRESENT: Board Member Deborah Allan

Board Member Mavis Bates

Board Member Dale Berman

Board Member Gary Daugherty

Board Member Mark Davoust

Board Member Michelle Gumz

Board Member Leslie Juby

Board Member Mo Iqbal

Board Member Michael Kenyon

Board Member Chris Kious

Board Member Anita Lewis

Board Member Myrna Molina

Board Member Bill Roth

Board Member Jarett Sanchez

Board Member Monica Silva

Board Member Cherryl Strathmann

Board Member Bill Tarver

Board Member Vern Tepe

Board Member Rick Williams

Chairman Corinne M. Pierog

ABSENT: Board Member Ron Ford

Board Member David Young

AWAY: Board Member Michael Linder

Board Member Bill Lenert

Board Member Clifford Surges

Briefly, Madam Chair announced that six new handicap spaces were created in front of Building A.

Madam Chair asked for a motion to approve the public display of the County's draft 2024 budget.

Approving the FY24 Draft Budget to be Placed on Public Display 23-427 

ASA Frank reminded the board that this was not the final approval of the budget; just a vote to place it on public display. Some board members shared their own comments.

RESULT: ADOPTED BY ROLL CALL VOTE 

MOVER: Vern Tepe

SECONDER: Chris Kious  

AYE: Deborah Allan, Mavis Bates, Dale Berman, Gary Daugherty, Mark Davoust, Michelle Gumz, Leslie Juby, Michael Kenyon, Chris Kious, Anita Lewis, Bill Roth, Jarett Sanchez, Monica Silva, Cherryl Strathmann, Bill Tarver, and Vern Tepe  

NAY: Mo Iqbal, Myrna Molina, and Rick Williams

ABSENT: Ron Ford, and David Young

AWAY: Michael Linder, Bill Lenert, and Clifford Surges

9. EXECUTIVE SESSION (if needed) 

10. PUBLIC COMMENTS (Non-Agenda Items) 

Madam Chair asked Atty. Shepro to read a public comment received by email from Ms. Corinne Owens on November 4, 2023. Ms. Corrine Owens asked the board to stop raising real estate taxes because the county was driving citizens out their communities, especially seniors. She asked to instill a tax cap on income for seniors and not a senior freeze. She asked for other cuts in the budget relating to parks and teachers' salaries.

11. ADJOURNMENT TO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023 

Adjourned at 12:48 pm

RESULT: APPROVED BY VOICE VOTE 

MOVER: Michael Kenyon

SECONDER: Bill Roth

https://www.countyofkane.org/MeetingMinutes/6949/23-11-06%20COB%20-%20Special%20minutes.pdf