The DeKalb County Forest Preserve District Committee met Tuesday May 17, 2005 at Sannauk Forest Preserve at 6:00 p.m.  Ms. Fauci called the meeting to order.  In attendance were committee members, Ms. Fauci, Mr. Gudmunson, Ms. Turner, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Rosemier.  Absent was Mr. Lyle.  Also in attendance were Mr. Hannan, Forest Preserve Superintendent and Mr. Millburg, DeKalb County Farm Bureau. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Ms. Fauci asked for any corrections or additions to the April minutes.  Mr. Rosemier made a correction to the section of the minutes concerning the wetland bid procedure vote.  It was moved by Mr. Gudmunson, seconded by Mr. Anderson to approve the minutes as corrected.  All members were in favor, and the motion carried by unanimous voice vote. 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Ms. Fauci asked for any changes to the meeting agenda.  Mr. Rosemier suggested that items 8 and 9 be taken care of prior to the executive session, which was item 7.   Moved by Ms. Turner, seconded by Mr. Anderson, it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda for the meeting as revised.

WELCOME TO SANNAUK FOREST PRESERVE

Mr. Hannan gave a welcome to Sannauk Forest Preserve and provided the committee with a history of the preserve which sits on property that was once a golf course.  The 73 acres was purchased in 1942.  Mr. Hannan highlighted the facilities at the preserve including the shelters, sledding hill, trails for hiking and cross country skiing, fishing on Somonauk Creek, and a softball diamond.  Mr. Hannan updated the committee on woodland restoration work being done at the preserve, opening up part of the forest canopy to let more light in for the large oak trees which will also improve the wildflower diversity.   This management work consists of burning, clearing, and working on reducing non-native plants such as garlic mustard and bush honeysuckle and buckthorn   Mr. Hannan also mentioned to the committee an historical marker is located in the preserve, which shows the proposed original Illinois Wisconsin state border.  Mr. Hannan told the committee that Steve Wade is the Park Manager for Sannauk.  Ms. Fauci asked if the position was full time or part time and Mr. Hannan responded that it is considered year ‘round part time.  

AUDIT REPORT

Ms. Fauci reported to the committee on a discussion she had with Mr. Gary Hanson regarding the annual audit report.  The auditors found two minor items that need to be corrected and Mr. Hanson told Ms. Fauci that the corrections could be made easily.   

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY

The Forest Preserve District will acknowledge National Trails Day on June 4th.  The Forest Preserve will be recognizing the importance of trails with participation in events taking place at the Great Western Trail, the County Farm Forest Preserve, Afton Forest Preserve and Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve. Ms. Fauci sent information on the events to the local media and gave a recap of the events and times to the committee.  Several Board Members and County Officials will be attending the events.  Ms. Donna Prain will give a lecture on Wetlands at 9:00 on June 4th at the County Farm Forest Preserve near the old County Nursing Home site, behind the Old Navy clothing store.  Wetland planting will be done at Afton Forest Preserve from 10:00 until 1:00 p.m.  At Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve an equestrian club will be working on trails and a canoe club will be cleaning and clearing brush on the Kishwaukee River from 10:00 until 1:00 p.m.

DEKALB COUNTY GREENWAYS AND TRAILS UPDATE

Ms. Fauci announced that the plans for the Greenways and Trails project will be presented publicly by the project planner during the Regional Planning Commission Meeting on Thursday May 26th. Ms. Fauci will provide the committee members with the plan on CD after the Regional Planning Commission Meeting. Mr. Hannan added for the committee's information that Mr. Charles Marshall was invited to attend the Forest Preserve Committee meeting, and that Mr. Marshall was involved with the planning at the southern end of the County.

MONTHLY REPORT

Mr. Hannan talked about the success of the Forest Preserve Volunteer Days and showed photos to the committee of Boy Scouts that helped with the Sannauk clean up days as well as photos of wild life taken at the preserve including a Great Horned Owl which nests at Sannauk.  Mr. Hannan reported that the mowing season has begun and maintenance of the preserves continues.  20 truckloads of gravel has been hauled, placed and graded at the entrance to Russell Woods Forest Preserve.  Mr. Hannan thanked Mr. Howard Butz, Genoa Township Road Commissioner for grading the road at Russell Woods, and informed the committee that he does send a thank you letter to Mr. Butz for his work.  There will be roof replacements on some shelters this summer by FP staff.  Mr. Hannan discussed the OSLAD grant for Potawatomi Woods and the time line for work to be done at the preserve. The grant and donated funds will be used for bridges, shelters, interpretive/accessible trail and wildlife observation deck, canoe launch, water, a prairie/oak savannah landscape and other park amenities.  An archeological survey will need to be done prior to any work being started.  The survey will be done by the Archeology Department at Northern Illinois University and should be finished by fall.  After the survey is complete and provided nothing is found that would hinder construction, bids will be taken for the items not being constructed by staff and volunteers. There is a time stipulation with this grant and the work is required to be finished within 18 months.  Mr. Hannan has been approached by several people who want to volunteer their service to the improvements at Potawatomi Woods.  Mr. Rosemier complimented Mr. Hannan on his administrative skills, which are certainly a factor in the ability of the Forest Preserve District to continue to have a copious number of volunteers.  Ms. Fauci added that she has been approached by the Daily Chronicle to do a story on National Trails Day, and on Mr. Hannan.

Mr. Hannan also took an opportunity to again thank the groups that donated matching funds to the $70,000.00 OSLAD I.D.N.R. grant for Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve.  The donors were: DeKalb/Sycamore Sunrise Rotary, a Sycamore Foundation (wishes to remain anonymous), DeKalb County Community Foundation and the Sycamore Sportsman’s Club. 

Mr. Hannan is finishing up the final billing for the Conservation 2000 Grant and is compiling the final paperwork for those funds.  The three year grant in the amount of $30,000.00 was for woodland/prairie/wetland restoration and non-native plant removal and reduction at Forest Preserves in the Kishwaukee River watershed and the work at the various locations was accomplished by contractors, staff and volunteers.

COMMITTEE DISCUSSION

Mr. Rosemier announced that the Forest Preserve won the Wetland Mitigation bid for the Hospital project.  Mr. Rosemier indicated that he had read somewhere that at an open meeting the statement was made that the property multiplier is 1.5 acres for each 1 acre.  Mr. Millburg and Mr. Hannan stated that they were not aware of that information.  Mr. Hannan reported that he normally receives a letter from the Army Corp of Engineers on the rate of the multiplier.  The contract with the hospital has not been signed yet.  The hospital is still waiting for several other aspects of the project to come together prior to signing the contract with the Forest Preserve.  Mr. Rosemier passed along to the committee that he had read of an objection to the building of the new facility, possibly in the Planning and Zoning Committee Minutes.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Mr. Rosemier made a motion to go into executive session, seconded by Ms. Turner.  A roll call vote was taken and all members voted aye.   

PERSONNEL AND LAND DISCUSSION

Ms. Turner made a motion to leave executive session, seconded by Mr. Anderson.  A roll call vote was taken and all members voted aye.  No action was taken on the items discussed in executive session.

ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Mr. Rosemier at 7:33 p.m., seconded by Ms. Turner, it was carried unanimously by voice vote to adjourn the meeting.

Attached are monthly reports and Forest Preserve activities.

                                                                                                            Chairwoman

                                                                                                             Julia Fauci

| Home | Return to top | A-Z Index | Return to minutes |