The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at 7:00p.m. at the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias called the meeting to order. Members present were Jeff Whelan, Julia Fauci, Roger Steimel, Julia Fullerton, Bob Rosemier and Sue Leifheit.  Dennis Sands and Pat LaVigne were absent.  Others present were Anita Turner, Jerry Augsburger, Sally DeFauw, Mike Haines, Lana Haines and Larry Anderson.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Moved by Mr. Rosemier, seconded by Ms. Fullerton, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from October 2006.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA     

          Mr. Bockman, County Administrator, said that he needed to add another item under Executive Session – Land Acquisition.

          Moved by Mr. Whelan, seconded by Mr. Steimel, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda.

APPOINTMENTS:

Metropolitan Exposition Authority:            Mr. John Gordon, reappointment for a term of 3 years, until 11/30/2009.

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO):            Ms. Eileen Dubin, reappointment for a term of 1 year, until 11/30/2007.

          Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Mr. Whelan, and it was carried unanimously to approve the appointments as presented and to forward them to the full board for approval.

Appointments expiring for December 2006 are:

          Workforce Investment Act Board – 2 positions

          DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Board – 3 positions

          DeKalb County Public Building Commission – 1 position

          DeKalb County Board – 13 positions

          DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center Operating Board – 5 positions

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS PROGRAM ANNUAL REQUEST

            Mr. Bockman, County Administrator, said that the ordinance on the table this evening is the annual request to participate in the First Time Homebuyers Program.  This is the fourth year that the County has participated.  There were 15 individuals in DeKalb County that participated in the last year for a total amount of $2.2 million with the average loan amount of $147,000.  Mr. Bockman recommends that we continue to participate in the program.

            Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to forward the recommendation to the full board for approval.

COUNTY BOARD RULES          

            Mr. Bockman said that he is recommending the amendment to the County Board Rules concerning the need to notify the public what is on the agenda.  He noticed that we have not updated our rules since there was a court case downstate that threw out a county board resolution based on the fact that the resolution was not part of the public agenda and that board took final action, brought it up, added it to their agenda, and took final action at that night’s meeting.  The court said no, you are free to discuss anything that you want but if you are going to vote on it and take final action, you need to notify the public that it is on the agenda.  Our rules would lead you to believe that by voting with a 2/3rds vote, we could bring something up and dismiss it at a single meeting - that is not true.  Sections 2-35 and 2-36 is clarifying the fact that in order to take final action that it needs to be on the published agenda.

            Mr. Bockman then spoke about Section 2-37 and said that in our zeal to protect petitioners we may have gone a bit overboard and demanding that everything be on the agenda.  He feels that the intent here is that the people can come and talk to the county board about whatever is on their mind -whether it is on the agenda or not.  Our rules were not clear.  Now he feels the amendment does make it clear (Please see sheet attached to these minutes).  It now says that if you are going to speak on an item that is on the agenda that you can either speak early in the meeting at “Persons To Be Heard On The Floor” or reserve time and speak at the time the board takes the item up.  If a person wants to speak about an issue that is not on the agenda then you should speak under “Person To Be Heard On The Floor.”   The only thing that we are still ruling out is that matters that have gone through the hearing process and heard by a hearing officer, now reads, matters that have not been taken up by the county board yet. 

            Mr. Haines said that all the sections say a 2/3^rd vote, why?  Mr. Bockman said because suspension of the rules requires a 2/3rds vote. If you want to change them then you can mark them up if you want to.

            Ms. Leifheit said that she likes the 2/3rds vote. 

            Mr. Haines said that he would like the meetings to be as open as possible.

            Mr. Haines asked if we could say 2/3rds of the county board?             

            Mr. Bockman said that you could do 2/3rds of the members present.

            Ms. Leifheit said that any board member can add an item to the agenda 7 days, in writing, before the meeting.  If a person had something that needed to be on the agenda, that person could ask for it to be added in writing 7 days beforehand and then that person wouldn’t even have to worry about the 2/3rds vote.  This is to stop from having ten new items on your agenda that you need to hear and it’s not fair to the public. 

            Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Mr. Whelan, and it was carried unanimously to forward the resolution to the full board for approval.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

          Mr. Ray Bockman, County Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on November 15, 2006.

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

GENERAL DISCUSSION

          Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, stated that his committee is sending three items to the county board for approval this month.  He said one of them, Josie’s Antiques, have had (2) five-year temporary permits and now they are seeking a permanent special use permit.

Ms. Fullerton, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, stated that her committee voted unanimously to reject the proposal from the City of DeKalb on the Tax Abatement Agreement.  One item that they did not agree with is a specified time limit.  They agreed to stay with the status quo.

Mr. Rosemier, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, stated that his committee heard from Mr. Liz Carney on her Annual Mental Health Board Report. 

Ms. Fauci, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that her committee met at Pottawatomi Woods last month.  She showed pictures of a bridge that has been constructed by Superintendent Hannan there and other improvements that have been made there.  They will be paying off the debt to the County Board at the November 15^th County Board Meeting.  They will be paying it off with all wetland bank funds. 

Mr. Whelan, Chairman of the Finance Committee, said that the committee held two public hearings and no public member was there to be heard at the hearings. 

Ms. Leifheit, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, said that they have not met yet, they will be meeting on November 20^th.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: - PERSONNEL AND LAND ACQUISITION

          Moved by Mr. Steimel, seconded by Ms. Fullerton, and it was carried unanimously to move into closed session by a roll call vote for the purpose to discuss personnel and land acquisition.

          Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Steimel, and it was carried unanimously to return to open session by a roll call vote.

          Moved by Mr. Rosemier, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to award a bonus payment for Exceptional Performance to Forest Preserve Superintendent, Terry Hannan, in the amount of $2,000; to DeKalb County Deputy Administrator, Gary Hanson in the amount of $1,500; and to DeKalb County Information Management Office Director, Joan Berkes-Hanson in the amount of $1,500.

          Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Steimel, and it was carried unanimously to recommend a Step of 2% for each Exempt Employee.

ADJOURNMENT

Moved by Mr. Rosemier, seconded by Mr. Fullerton, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________

Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias

_____________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary

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