DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
Executive Committee

August 9, 2011

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DRAFT

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

MINUTES

August 9, 2011

The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 7:00p.m. at the Administration Building’s Conference Room East. Chairman Larry Anderson called the meeting to order. Members present were Marlene Allen, Ken Andersen, Julia Fauci, and Ruth Anne Tobias. Those absent were John Gudmunson, Scott Newport, Paul Stoddard and Pat Vary. Others present were Ray Bockman, Sally DeFauw, John Hulseberg, Anita Turner, Cynthia Luxton and Greg Millburg.

Chairman Anderson invited Mr. Augsburger, Mr. Reid, Mr. Metzger, Sr. and Mr. Brown to take their seats and represent their individual committees for the meeting.

It was moved by Mr. Andersen, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to accept these four individuals to take part in the meeting to represent their individual committees in the absence of the committee chairmen.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Moved by Mr. Andersen, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from June 2011.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Mr. Andersen asked to include the Executive Session on the committee agenda for the purpose of personnel and land acquisition.

Moved by Mr. Reid, seconded by Ms. Allen, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda.

APPOINTMENTS

1.) Clinton-Shabbona Drainage District: Mr. Wayne Overby

2.) Coon Creek Drainage District: Mr. Frank Engel, and

Mr. Matt Klein

3.) Normal Drainage District: Mr. Robert Twombly

4.) Squaw Grove Drainage District: Mr. Donald Willrett

5.) Shabbona-Milan-Union

Drainage District #1: Mr. Dennis L. Johnson

All reappointments for a term of 3 years, until the 1^st Tuesday in September 2014, which is September 2, 2014.

6.) Joiner History Room - County

Historian: Ms. Sue Breese, indefinite term.

7.) Community Services Advisory Board: Ms. Melissa Garman, reappointment for a term of 3 years, until July 1, 2014.

8.) Rehab and Nursing Center

Operating Board: Ms. Rita Nielsen, to fill the unexpired term of Ms. Jana Whelan, until January 1, 2012.

Moved by Ms. Tobias, seconded by Mr. Andersen, and it was carried unanimously to forward these appointment recommendations to the full board for approval.

APPOINTMENTS EXPIRING FOR SEPTEMBER 2011:

1. Community Services Advisory Board – 2 positions

2. Workforce Investment Act Board – 4 positions

3. Public Building Commission – 1 position

4. DSATS Planning Policy Committee – 1 position

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

Mr. Ray Bockman, County Administrator, reviewed the County Board Agenda for the Board Meeting to be held on August 17, 2011.

Mr. Andersen pointed out that there should be an item from Planning and Zoning regarding Country Gas Company that should be on the agenda.

Mr. Bockman said that we will check with Mr. Miller in the morning about this.

Moved by Ms. Tobias, seconded by Mr. Augsburger, and it was carried unanimously to forward the recommendation to the full board for approval.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Mr. Reid, Vice-Chairman of the Finance Committee, said that the Finance Committee was presented with an alternative insurance plan by Mr. Tim Kearns. This plan involved a Health Savings Account that the employee would contribute to along with the employer. He felt that the $6,000 to $12,000 out of pocket limits in the new plan were too much for lower wage employees. The premium reduction was estimated at 18% for this high deductible plan. Deductibles would go from $500 to $2,000 for single employees.

Mr. Metzger, Sr., Vice-Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, said they heard from Ms. Cathy Anderson from the Rehab and Nursing Home. He said, like other agencies in this type of industry, they are doing so much more with less money.

He also said that they were sending a resolution to the full board for approval regarding the sharing of Director Services between the Community Services Department and the Mental Health Board. He said that this collaboration between these two different departments could amount to a $70,000 savings.

Mr. Jerry Augsburger, Vice-Chairman of the Highway Committee, said that the new County Engineer started and Mr. Augsburger is impressed with him so far. He also said that his committee is sending one resolution to the board this month regarding collective bargaining. This will be a short contract until 12/31/2011.

Ms. Allen, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, said that her committee had a presentation made by the DeKalb Gang Unit. The numbers of gangs in the County is pretty scary, she said.

Ms. Fauci, Chairman of the Forest Preserve District Committee, said that the funds raised from the Sunrise Rotary 8K races come back to the Forest Preserve District. She informed the committee that the Sycamore High School cross country team is now practicing at Afton Forest Preserve.

Mr. Brown, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said that his committee heard from the Arts and Entertainment Sector of the county. This all came about from Phase III of a grant study that was conducted by Dr. Gleeson of NIU’s Center of Governmental Studies. They identified three areas that the County should be working on for economic development. One was for manufacturing, one for knowledge-based companies and the third was for performing/visual arts company. There were some good suggestions that came out of this meeting, for example, setting up a county-wide Arts Council, common ticket center, and common area to store all production sets, marketing help, fundraising help, etc.

Ms. Ruth Anne Tobias, Vice Chairman of the County Board, said that she has invited a Sandwich High School student, Ms. Jacquelyn LaRusso, to our county board meeting on August 17^th. Ms. Tobias will be presenting a scholarship to Ms. LaRusso. Ms. Tobias said that Ms. LaRusso is one of the recipients of 10 scholarships from the Illinois Counties Association.

She also mentioned that she attended the NACO Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon in July. She said that there is a company that is working with NACO and Caremark called I-Civic, which is a non-for-profit organization that she believes was started by Sandra J. O’Conner. Ms. O’Connor wanted to encourage people to learn about government. This company is creating online games and activities regarding county government. It is very well done and is available right now.

She said that the courthouse committee met in July and went on tour of the construction site. They are making nice progress even though they have had some rain, and the steel is going up.

Mr. Andersen, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, said that his committee is sending one item to the board for approval from Country Gas Company. At the end of August his committee will be discussing the Faith Outreach Church which will be coming back for another evaluation. They had a reopening of the first public hearing and the hearing officer, again has recommended denial of the request. The second item is the Forest Preserve’s rezoning request of land that they purchased off of Cherry Valley Road. The hearing officer has recommended approval of that request. And the third item is the County zoning language on our comprehensive plan and the verbage in our zoning language. The hearing officer has recommended approval but with exceptions, like use variations.

Mr. Andersen explained that he has heard from some of the public that they feel public hearings should be held at night when people are available.

Chairman Anderson then asked if Mr. Anderson was ready to go into executive session to discuss land acquisition.

Mr. Andersen said that he didn’t feel that the committee needed to go into executive session. He said that he wanted to discuss it at the full board meeting because at the May or June meeting where we discussed land acquisition here at this committee, no action was taken and we just dropped it. He feels that this committee is only made up of 9 or 10 people and none of the other board members heard it because it was discussed in executive session.

Ms. Fauci said that the rest of them could have attended our meeting.

Mr. Andersen said that yes, but they are not. He also doesn’t feel that the 9 people on the Executive Committee should make the decision to cancel a County Board meeting.

Mr. Bockman said that in the past, this committee is the smallest group that we could conceive of, that could make a decision, without the information going public on land acquisitions that was requested by numerous property owners. Could you move it to the full board in executive session and contain it? I suppose you could.

Mr. Andersen said that he hoped so.

Ms. Fauci said that the Forest Preserve Committee has discussed land acquisitions and have said no to some of them and you didn’t know of it. Because they did not fill our criteria.

Mr.Bockman said that the direction that the staff has received by the committee was that if a piece of property became available and the staff was directed to bring it to the Executive Committee for discussion, we have done that.

Mr. Andersen said that this is why he wants to talk about it at the full board meeting so all 24 members can discuss this.

Ms. Tobias said that she feels that this board depends on the committees.

Chairman Anderson said that he believes in the committee structure because it works.

Mr. Augsburger said that he thinks that we are just spinning our wheels here.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved by Ms. Tobias, seconded by Mr. Augsburger, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________

Chairman Larry A. Anderson

LAA: mcs