DeKalb County, Illinois
	Minutes of the Public Services Committee November 5, 2001

The Public Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, November  5, 2001, at 6:30 p.m. at the Administration Building's Conference Room East. Chairman Sue Leifheit called the meeting to order.  Members present were Marlene Allen, Eileen Dubin,  Dr. Conway and Jeffery Metzger.  Edward Brown, Michael Haines and Robert Pritchard were absent.  Others present Ken Johnson, and Greg Millburg.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Moved by Ms. Allen, seconded by Ms. Dubin, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from September 25, 2001.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Moved by Ms. Allen, seconded by Dr. Conway, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda. 

PUBLIC DEFENDER’S REPORT

Mr. Kenneth Johnson, DeKalb County Public Defender, briefly reviewed his report for the committee.  Mr. Johnson said that the juvenile numbers on his report almost doubled from last month and he doesn’t know why.  That doesn’t mean that they won’t go down next month, however, he continued. 

Mr. Johnson said that he would have a new employee starting on November 9^th.  He said that it is his law clerk from NIU who will be sworn in on Thursday and then start the new position on November 9^th.  Ms. Morelli who was his full-time juvenile/misdemeanor attorney was ill and is doing very well now.  She has decided to “lay low” and not come back unless there was a part-time position available.  He said that if the part-time position is approved during the budget process in November at the County Board Meeting then he would consider her first to fill the position. 

Mr. Johnson informed the committee that he did not get the double reckless homicide case assigned to his office.  He was told that a private attorney was retained.  He also said that the numbers in the jail are in the 60 – 70 bed range on a regular basis. 

Mr. Johnson then said that he spoke with Senator Cullerton regarding the HB549 and forwarded our resolution that we adopted on to him.  In speaking with Senator Cullerton he said that the supporters hoped to push it through the veto session that begins November 13^th.  There is still a question about the funding and whether or not there is going to be money available, but they are looking at the issue seriously and even if there is a shortfall in money, they hope that they can squeeze it through. 

Dr. Conway asked Mr. Johnson if he was going to be sitting on the Juvenile Mediator Committee that is being formed now?  Mr. Johnson said that he is on the committee, but not the chairman.  Ron Matekaitis and Judge Klein would be responsible for that.  He foresees himself or one of his juvenile assistants taking a more active role in the near future.  Ms. Dubin asked Mr. Johnson with the increase in juvenile crimes are you seeing new types of crimes?  Mr. Johnson said that he finds them to be more violent than what we have seen over the last five years.  We are seeing cases that are felonies that would be committed by an adult, and they are alarmingly high.  Whenever you see an increase in the population or compact individuals in townhouse facilities and have middle class families, you are going to have more children in that area.  The more children that you have in those areas, the more apt there is a possibility of juvenile intervention in the criminal justice system. 

He also said that he received a memo from the Federal Government recently that states that there are certain detentions that we can’t do status offenses at.  If an individual is charged with a status offense, like missing school, and their not on probation and they are on court supervision, and then we go ahead and put them in a youth home or detain them, we run the risk of losing our federal funding to pay for some of the juvenile programs. 

He also said that he has seen more and more terminated parental rights than ever before.  Lots of investigation needs to be done before the court can terminate parental rights.  Our numbers are lower than in other counties east of here.  However, when he first took over the office there were only 2 or 3 pending cases.  Today we are looking at 10 to 11 cases pending. 

Mr. Johnson then thanked the committee for the support that they showed him during the budget process. 

COURT SERVICES REPORT

Chairman Leifheit said that she would briefly review Ms. Gilmour’s reports for her since she was not back on time from vacation.  She said that in the juvenile report it reflected that there are now 3 kids in placement.  Out of the kids in placement, 1 is in for the 7^th time, 3 for the 4^th time, 1 for the 3^rd time, 1 for the 2^nd time and 5 new kids.  She also said that we have not gone over the 7-bed limit that we have with Kane County. 

ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Mr. Metzger, seconded by Ms. Allen, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________________

Sue Leifheit, Chairman

__________________________
Mary Supple, Secretary

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