The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 @ 7:00 p.m. at the Legislative Center’s Gathertorium. Vice-Chairman John Wilson called the meeting to order.  Members present were Marlene Allen, Steve Faivre, Jeff Metzger, Roger Steimel and Ruth Anne Tobias.  Members absent were Sue Leifheit and Robert Pritchard.  Others present were Ray Bockman, Gary Hanson, Diane Strand, Dennis Sands, John Gudmunson, Eric Johnson, Eileen Dubin, Mary Simons, Steve Slack, Julia Fauci and Robert Rosemier.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

          Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Mr. Metzger, and it was carried unanimously to accept the minutes of the November 10, 2003 meeting. 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

          Vice-Chairman Wilson asked to have item #4A. Opportunity House Request added to the agenda.  Moved by Mr. Faivre, seconded by Ms. Tobias, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda.

APPOINTMENTS

          Vice-Chairman Wilson recommended the following appointments:

BOARD OF HEALTH:                   
Reappointments:
Dr. Michael Groark, J.D., reappointment for a term of 3 years, until 11/30/2006.

Ms. Julia Fullerton, reappointment for a term of 1 year, until 11/30/2004.


Appointments:
Dr. John Olson, D.D.S., appointment for a term of 3 years, until 11/30/2006.

Ms. Jean Gastiger, R.N., N.P., appointment for a term of 3 years, until 11/30/2006.

Shabbona Community
Fire Protection District:             Mr. Robert Frazier, appointment to replace Kenneth
                                                        Spears who has resigned, until 3/01/2004.

           Moved by Ms. Tobias,seconded byMr. Faivre, and it was carried unanimously to approve the appointments as presented by Vice-Chairman Wilson, and to forward them to the full board for approval.

          Vice-Chairman Wilson said that next month the following committees and boards will have appointments expiring: another position for the Workforce Investment Act Board, two positions for the Community Mental Health Board and Rehab and one position for the Nursing Center Operating Board.

OPPORTUNITY HOUSE REQUEST

          Mr. Ray Bockman, County Administrator, explained to the committee that Mr. John Kroos, Opportunity House Director, approached him regarding purchase of property at the Health Department and Nursing Home site.  He said that they are fundraising for a couple of capital projects and one of them involves the construction of a residential facility that would be a ranch home for 8 handicapped adults.  They have been looking at locations but have so far not found any that are suitable for this project.  They are asking the county board to consider subdividing a parcel of property near the nursing home and health department that would be less than an acre site. 

          The committee discussed the appropriate use of the land and what might the county have planned for future use of the land.  It was pointed out that the Health Department was discussing additional space for a project that may happen in the future and the nursing home operating board has discussed the construction of an assisted living facility in the future.  Some members wondered if Opportunity House would want to expand even further in the future and would there be enough room?  It was also discussed that there may be future plans for the frontage along Annie Glidden Road for the sale of the property for some commercial purpose.

          After further discussion it was the consensus of the committee to have Mr. Bockman further pursue this issue with Mr. Kroos and to bring his results back to the committee for further discussion.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

Mr. Bockman, County Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on December 17, 2003.  He pointed out that under the Executive Committee there might be a resolution on amending county board policies.  Mr. Johnson pointed out that under the public services resolution that the names of who moved and seconded the motion needed to be corrected. 

Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Ms. Tobias, to forward the county board agenda to the full board for approval.

Before voting, Mr. Faivre asked if he could have an additional item placed on the agenda with regards to Lt. Patrick Quinn’s letter about education funding reform. He knows that it went before the Administrative Services Committee and was forwarded to the Public Services Committee for consideration to be included on the legislative agenda.  The committee members discussed that at the Administrative Services Committee it was agreed that the letter was so flawed that it shouldn’t be placed on the ballot.  Also, that it would take away attention from the jail referendum on the ballot.

          Mr. Sands said that he wished that Mr. Faivre had been present at the Administrative Services Meeting because there was a very good discussion that had taken place there on this subject.  He also said that he felt uncomfortable to overrule one committee’s decision by placing it on the county board agenda through the Executive Committee. 

          Mr. Faivre said that he felt that the entire county board should discuss this item since he felt it was a very important issue.  He further stated that this would be a wakeup call to the counties east of here that we want action to take place on this issue. 

          Mr. Faivre asked if there was any way for him to get this item on the county board agenda?

          Mr. Bockman said that Mr. Faivre could write a letter to the Chairman of the Board seven days in advance of the county board meeting, to request that it be placed on the county board agenda.

Mr. Faivre agreed that he would do that.

The motion was carried unanimously to accept the county board agenda as presented. 

GENERAL DISCUSSION

                    Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning & Regulations Committee, said that the petition for the Massier Gun Club has been tabled per the request of the petitioner.  The committee discussed this point and Mr. Johnson quoted the Roberts Rules of Order that states that an item can be tabled as long as the county board is in session.  The session runs until the next county board is seated, which would be December 2004.  The committee further discussed if it was appropriate then to have the Planning and Regulations Committee Chairman ask to have the item tabled at the county board meeting?  It was agreed to allow the item to be put back on the county board agenda with the understanding that Mr. Steimel would ask to have it tabled at the meeting.

Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Mr. Faivre, and it was carried unanimously to add the Massier Gun Club Request to the county board agenda with the understanding that Planning and Regulations Committee Chairman would ask to have it tabled, and it was forwarded to the full board for consideration.

Mr. Wilson, Chairman of the Public Infrastructure & Development Committee, said that his committee would be taking a VAC bus around April 1, 2004 to go visit the Railport in Rochelle.  They would be leaving around 2:00p.m. and that it would be held on the same day as their regularly scheduled meeting. 

Ms. Allen, Chairman of the Public Services Committee, said that they were sending the MS150 Bike Tour Resolution forward with the understanding that the Sheriff’s Department staff would be used only if needed to direct traffic on the two days in June 2004.

Ms. Tobias, Chairman of the Public Policy Committee, said that they had very good discussion with Senator J. Bradley Burzynski regarding the legislative agenda items. 

Mr. Metzger, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that they will be having a very light agenda for their upcoming December meeting and that they will be re-evaluating their goals for the year and aee how many more that they need to achieve.  They are also going to be reviewing the payment schedule for the amount of money owed to the County.  Mr. Hannan will also talk about other grant monies that they could apply for.

Chairman Pritchard arrived @ 7:55p.m.

COUNTY BOARD POLICY PROCEDURE AMENDMENT

          Chairman Pritchard said that there has been a lot of speculation as to what was going to happen since he has been sworn-in as Representative for this district.  Mr. Bockman has been a big help in reviewing our county board rules as well as state statutes.  His findings have been reviewed by the State’s Attorney’s Office and what they have found in all of this process is that our rules have not anticipated this situation.  So our rules really are not clear , he continued.  We kind of assumed that the Vice-Chairman would move into the Chairman’s position, that is done nationally and at the state level.  Our rules do not provide for that type of succession.  Our rules state that our Vice-Chairman serves in the absence of the Chairman.  He further stated that absence means that he is still the Chairman and still filling the functions of the Chairman’s duties.  Therefore, because of this interpretation the county board needs to have another election.  Mr. Bockman’s letter suggests the procedures for that to happen. 

Chairman Pritchard further explained that the county board meeting would be adjourned, a special meeting will have been called for the purpose of filling a vacancy.  At that second meeting he would submit his resignation and the procedure that Mr. Bockman has outlined would take place to fill the Chairman’s and Vice-Chairman’s positions. 

Chairman Pritchard said that if the parties choose to caucus to discuss the issue of chairman, his understanding is that it is legal as long as we give public notice as to when it will occur and where.  Mr. Bockman said that the caucus can be anytime but if you anticipate that a majority of the quorum of the board would be present then you need to provide a notice to the press. 

After reviewing the handout from Mr. Bockman it was suggested to modify Item B (c.) to include the words “with the members stating the name of their choice”  right after  the words in the first line , “a roll call vote will be taken, ……”  It was also suggested that the same wording for the Chairman’s procedures to follow in case of a vacancy should also be used for the vacancy of the Vice-Chairman. 

Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Mr. Metzger, and it was carried unanimously to recommend the adoption of the procedures with the clarifications made to item #B (b.) and (c.) and the Vice-Chairman vacancy and to forward this recommendation to the full board for approval.

ADJOURNMENT

          Moved by Ms. Tobias, seconded by Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                          Respectfully submitted,

                                                          _________________________________
                                                          Robert W. Pritchard, Chairman  

_______________________________
Mary C. Supple, Secretary