DeKalb County, Illinois
	Minutes of the Forest Preserve Committee April 17, 2001

The DeKalb County Forest Preserve Committee met Tuesday, April 17, 2001 at the Afton Forest Preserve, at 6:00p.m. Chairman John Morreale called the meeting to order with Mr. Dlabal, Mr. Guehler, Mr. Haines, Mr. Metzger , Mr. McLaughlin, Mr. Sands, and Mr. Simonson present. Mr. Hannan and Greg Milburn were also present. Mr. Lyle was absent.

Moved by Mr. Simonson, seconded by Mr. Dlabal, and it was carried unanimously with a voice vote to approve the minutes for March.

Mr. Morreale asked the Committee for approval to add an additional topic under general discussion as agenda 5e to discuss the former boy scout camp in Kirkland. Moved by Mr. Sands, seconded by Mr. Guehler, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda with the addition to the general discussion.

Mr. Hannan asked the Committee if anyone had questions regarding the audit for fiscal year 2000. No Committee member posed a question at this time.

Mr. Hannan began the general discussion with a brief history of Afton Forest Preserve. Mr. Hannan stated that the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District purchased the Afton Forest Preserve property in 1973 for approximately $900/ per acre. This 240 acre purchase included the farmstead and barn. The 240 acre parcel was primarily farm land, hay field and pastures. Mr. Hannan stated that 95% of the 3000 plus trees and shrubs at Afton have been planted by the DeKalb County Forest Preserve District since the purchase of the property. The property was developed in 4-6 acre tracts until 1988. Mr. Hannan also stated that in 1988, 90 acres of native prairie grasses and flowers were planted . In 1990 a 50% I.D.N.R. development grant was received ($100,000) for roads, water, toilets, shelters, playground equipment, bridges, trails, picnic tables and landscaping.

Mr. Hannan explained the Wetland Mitigation Bank to the Committee. Mr. Hannan stated that there is a 58 acre portion of Afton Forest Preserve that has been designated for wetland restoration, located south of the barn. Mr. Hannan stated that 3.7 acres of this area has already been mitigated(pre-sold) for a total of $147,000.(4 separate wetland mitigation purchases) Mr. Hannan also stated that another mitigation sale is currently pending for 6/10 of an acre. Mr. Hannan explained to the Committee that up to 17 acres can be presold for wetland mitigation before the Forest Preserve District is required to construct the wetland. Once the Wetland Bank is constructed, 1/4 of these funds will go into the capital improvement funding, and 75% for land acquisition.

Mr. Guehler and Mr. Metzger reported that they had spoken with the east-side land owner, Mr. George Pierce, regarding the Somonauk Creek project. Mr. Guehler explained that Mr. Pierce gave his verbal permission for the Forest Preserve District to perform any work (streambank stabilization) that was needed on his property. Mr. Metzger explained that Mr. Pierce was not interested in helping this project financially at this time. Mr. Morreale suggested that Mr. Hannan should contact Mr. Pierce regarding the project when the Forest Preserve had received a grant to do this work and the Committee agreed.

Mr. Morreale reported that the Genoa/ Kingston referendum for the new school had passed. Mr. Morreale stated that Ms. Charlotte Scarlotta, Genoa/ Kingston School Board President, had expressed an interest in using the first 70 feet of the Russell Woods entrance road for a permanent access for the new school, and having only two entrances/exits along Rt. 72 instead of three. Mr. Morreale explained that this first 70 feet would need to be paved if this agreement was reached. Mr. Hannan expressed that he felt that sharing the first 70 feet of Preserve Road would pose no disadvantage to the Forest Preserve. Mr. Morreale stated that this section of the road would be for school purposes only and would not encompass the new proposed housing development, also that bus traffic would turn off the Forest Preserve road at this point. Mr. Metzger stated that he would like to see drawn plans before making any decisions. Mr. Simonson stated that he would also like to see plans, including the traffic flow patterns, ahead of time. Mr. Dlabal stated that he was strongly opposed to any sort of permanent access. Mr. Morreale asked the Committee if they felt the School Board should be invited to the next Forest Preserve Committee meeting. Mr. Metzger suggested that the Committee should wait and view drawn plans first. Mr. McLaughlin also stated that he was opposed to any permanent access. Mr. Simonson stated that Mr. Paul Miller, DeKalb County Planning Director, has been helpful in the past and felt he should be involved.

Mr. Hannan stated that he had met with the Genoa Public Works Director about the proposed housing development to the east of Russell Wood Forest Preserve. Mr. Hannan stated that right now there is a 50-80 foot buffer in the plans between the new development and Russell Woods. Mr. Metzger stated that he would like to have a special meeting for the Committee members to review the plans and get a consensus of their stance on the buffer issue. Mr. Metzger made a motion for this special meeting to take place on May 14,2001 at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room East in the Administrative Building in Sycamore. Mr. Sands seconded the motion. The motion passed with a voice vote; 6 Committee members said aye, 2 members said nay. Mr. Morreale and Mr. Guehler were not in favor.

The Committee agreed to meet at Russell Woods on May 15, 2001 for the next Forest Preserve Committee meeting.

Mr. Morreale stated that the appraisal on the property known as the "old boy scout camp" was not what they had anticipated. Mr. Hannan interjected that the wetland and floodplain land comparables might need review. Mr. Hannan stated that the compared land was in Pecatonica. Mr. Simonson stated that the land in Pecatonica is rock based and much less valuable. Mr. Hannan stated that the original appraiser said that he would be open to a second look with different comparables. Mr. Morreale asked the Committee if there would be any objection to splitting the cost of a second appraisal with the land owner. Mr. Morreale stated that he did not want to spend more than originally agreed before the first appraisal.($7500 from land acquisition open) Mr. Hannan suggested that perhaps the land owner would pay for the whole second appraisal. A motion was passed to use the balance of the preapproved appraisal sum ($7500) for a second appraisal if necessary. The motion was made by Mr. Haines, seconded by Mr. Dlabal, and passed with a unanimous voice vote.

Mr. Haines presented the Committee with information he had gathered through the N.I.U. Federal Work Study Program. Mr. Haines stated that the Forest Preserve could hire a Volunteer Coordinator for $.30 for every $1.00 earned through this program. This volunteer Coordinator could apply through the financial aid office at N.I.U. Mr. Hannan felt that this program would be worth trying. Mr. Hannan stated that he would look into it.

Mr. Metzger stated that he had a couple of boy scout troops that were willing to do volunteer clean-up work in some of the forest preserves in the southern part of the county. (Sannauk Forest Preserve)

Mr. Dlabal moved, Mr. Guehler seconded, to adjourn the meeting and the motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.

______________________________
Chairman, John Morreale

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