The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 @ 7:00p.m. at the Legislative Center’s Liberty Room.  Vice-Chairman Dennis Sands called the meeting to order.  Members present were Frank Van Buer, Julia Fauci, Roger Steimel, Jeff Whelan, Steve Slack, Robert Rosemier, and Sue Leifheit.  Members absent were Jeff Metzger, Pat LaVigne and Ruth Anne Tobias.  Others present were Ray Bockman, Gary Hanson, Diane Strand, Greg Millburg, Anita Turner and Eric Johnson.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

            Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Mr. Rosemier, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from February 2005.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

            Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Van Buer, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda.

APPOINTMENTS

Regional Plan Commission:              For the Village of Kirkland:

                                                           Mr. Les Bellah, as the primary member

                                                            Mr. Michael Becker, as the alternate

                                                            For the City of Genoa:

                                                            Mr. Richard Gentile, as the primary member

                                                            Ms. Laurie B. Curley, as the alternate

                                                            For the Village of Somonauk:

                                                            Ms. Becky Morphey, as the primary member

                                                            Mr. Joe Dillett, as the alternate

                                                            All of these are reappointments for a term of 3

                                                            years, until 04/01/2008.

DeKalb County Nursing Home

Foundation Board:                              Ms. Pat Barger, appointment for a term of 2 years,                                                                                            until 03/01/2007.

DeKalb Sanitary District:                     Ms. Carol Zar, appointment for a term of 3 years,

                                                            until 03/01/2008.

Cortland Fire Protection District:            Mr. Roger Steimel, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                              years, until 03/01/2008.

DeKalb Community Fire

Protection District:                                  Mr. Gerald Bemis, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                             years, until 03/01/2008.

Genoa-Kingston Fire Protection

District:                                                  Mr. Randy Jennings, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                            years, until 03/01/2008.

Hinckley Fire Protection District:            Mr. Carl Wassman, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                             years, until 03/01/2008.

Kirkland Fire Protection District:            Mr. Steve Hintzche, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                             years, until 03/01/2008.

Malta Fire Protection District:               Mr. Roger Hueber, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                           years, until 03/01/2008.

Paw Paw Fire Protection District:           Mr. Harold Svendsen, reappointment for a term of  3 years, until 03/01/2008.

Shabbona Fire Protection District:          Mr. Wayne Rissman, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                              years, until 03/01/2008.

Sycamore Community Fire

Protection District:                                  Mr. John Ward, reappointment for a term of 3                                                                                             years, until 03/01/2008.

Waterman Fire Protection District:        Mr. David Stryker, appointment for a term of 3                                                                                            years, until 03/01/2008.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

            Mr. Ray Bockman, County Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on March 16, 2005.

Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Whelan, and it was carried unanimously to forward the county board agenda to the full board for approval.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Ms. Fauci, and Mr. Jeff Whelan, members of the County Highway Committee, said that with regards to the eminent domain issue the committee felt that this is the committee’s way of forcing the reappraisal of the acreage in question.  This does not mean that the eminent domain issue will occur, but it may.  This widening will improve the property, Ms. Fauci said further.  She also said that there are some areas along Annie Glidden Road where they keep widening the road and the drop-off to the shoulder is dangerous and people keep going off the road.  It is the hope of the committee that this will help drivers, especially young, inexperienced drivers by widening the road. 

            Ms. Leifheit, Chairman of the Law & Justice Committee, said that last month they heard the Coroner’s Annual Report and that this month they will hear the ESDA Annual Report along with a tour of the morgue.  They will be meeting in the Public Safety Building in March due to this tour.  Ms. Gilmour will update the committee in March regarding the juvenile detention center’s expiring intergovernmental agreement between DeKalb County and Kane County.   Mr. Steve Slack, County Board Member, will be updating the committee regarding the drug court, too.

            Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, said that the Newquists showed justification at the committee meeting for their request and so it is being forwarded to the full board for approval.  The Blanchard’s are setting up an agribusiness to sell horse feed and supplies and their request does fit the requirements, so their item too is being forwarded to the full board for approval.  The Aurora Sportmen’s Club did a very good job explaining just what they want to do and they took some considerations and added them to the operating hours.  Some of the other considerations are as follows.  Their property will be located near the Hoka Turkey farm and the Aurora Sportsmen Club will not be developing at that side of their property right away, it will be in the future.   They also are reserving 15 feet on Preserve Road for the future bike path.  Mr. Steimel said that the Aurora Sportsmen Club has been very cooperative throughout the process.

Mr. Rosemier, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, said that Ms. Olson, DeKalb County Community Services Director, delivered the Senior Tax Levy Proposals to the committee.  He explained that there were 11 proposals from 9 agencies and 2 of those agencies were new.  The total requests amounted to $460,404.00 and the committee only has $377,000.00 to award this year.  The hearings will be held at their April meeting and they are not changing the format that they used last year. 

Mr. Rosemier also said that Ms. Cathy Anderson, Administrator for the DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center, visited with the committee and explained to them what her duties are.  She explained the census data information and funding process to the committee that the nursing home goes through.

Mr. Rosemier then informed the committee that Ms. Olson’s Community Services Block Grant is funded at the federal level and that currently President Bush has them at “0” funding in the proposed budget.  If Ms. Olson loses the Block Grant there will be severe consequences for DeKalb County and her department.  The Illinois Community Action Group will be stopping in DeKalb County on March 16, 2005 @ 10:30a.m. at the Multi-Purpose Room in the DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center to address this issue.  He is inviting all county board members to attend if they wish and said that there will be a press conference at that time.  

Mr. Rosemier continued that they have started a preliminary review of resources for possible grant writing services to help various agencies identify grants that they need and apply for them.  He will be doing a survey to all agencies in the county asking for help and to identify what help they need.  A suggestion that was made was that possibly the county could facilitate a third party grant writer for a percentage of the fee and the county could play a role in helping the agencies this way.

Mr. Steve Slack, Vice-Chairman, of the Executive Committee, said that they had a presentation from Ms. Bonnie Heimbach, Executive Director, of the Northern Illinois Tourism and Development Office, who spoke to the committee regarding agri-tourism.  He said that the committee also discussed the resolution on the tax abatement proposal for Fullco Industries and the City of Sycamore.  He said that the school board approved it already.  Mr. Bockman said that they approved it separately at 90/75 in the 2^nd and 3^rd year.

            Mr. Frank Van Buer, Chairman of the Finance Committee, said that they discussed the resolutions on the two tax abatements for the health facility and the highway facility loan.  Mr. Ken Campbell made a presentation to the committee regarding an update on his department’s projects.  He said that it was very good and that we are very lucky to have these people working for the county on the maintenance and repairs of our buildings.  They also discussed their committee calendar for the next two financial years.

            Ms. Fauci, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that they had the maple syrup tasting last weekend.  They will be canceling their March meeting and hopefully they will have Mr. Hans Beck, a professor at N.I.U. to speak on prairie habitats for their April meeting.  Some other highlights that she spoke about were a $2500.00 donation that the Forest Preserve received recently; in April there will be a trail clean up; the Astronomy Club will be meeting at McQueen and Afton Forest Preserves and she will get those dates out to everyone via email shortly. 

            Mr. Sands asked the members how the new committees are working out?  The members said that they are doing fine and that they are finding more than enough to do and discuss.  Ms. Fauci said that she felt the way that they were split up now made more sense. 

            Mr. Sands informed the committee that Chairman Tobias, Mr. Matekaitis, Mr. Bockman, Mr. Hanson and himself have been meeting recently with the others in the community to form a Veteran’s Commission for DeKalb County.  Hopefully, by mid-summer there will be one formed. 

            Before adjourning, Mr. Slack asked Mr. Bockman how the AFSCME negotiations?  Mr. Bockman said that AFSCME requested mediation with the unit members here at the courthouse.  This entails a federal mediator to step in and help resolve the issue.  They do not force you to settle the issue, they are not like an arbitrator.  They often provide a conduit for people to settle the issue.

ADJOURNMENT

            Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Van Buer, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        ______________________________

                                                                        Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias

_____________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary

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