The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, April 11, 2005 @ 7:00p.m. at the Legislative Center’s Liberty Room. Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias called the meeting to order. Members present were Frank Van Buer, Julia Fauci, Roger Steimel, Dennis Sands, Robert Rosemier, Vince Faivre and Sue Leifheit. Ms. LaVigne and Mr. Metzger were absent.  Others present were Ray Bockman, Gary Hanson, Diane Strand, Greg Millburg, Margaret Whitwell, Carol Steimel and Dana Herra.  

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

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

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

                Chairman Tobias said that she was adding an executive session under 8a.) Collective Bargaining.

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

APPOINTMENTS

Board of Review:                         Mr. Marlin Chaplin, reappointment for

                                                        a term of 2 years, until 4/30/2007

                                                        Mr. Gerald Wahlstrom, reappointment                 

                                                        for a term of 2 years, until 4/30/2007

Farmland Assessment Review: Mr. Nicholas Moore, reappointment for a term of 3 years, until 4/1/2008.

Regional Plan Commission:                        Mr. Michael Heiderscheidt, appointment as the primary representative for the Village of Waterman, for a term of 3 years, until 4/01/2008.

Mr. Roger Steimel, primary representative for the County of DeKalb County, for a term of 3 years, until 4/01/2008.

Ms. Ruth Anne Tobias, alternate representative for the County of DeKalb, for a term of 3 years, until 4/01/2008.

Somonauk Community Fire

Protection District:                                     Mr. Edward Stahl, reappointment for a term of 3 years, until 04/30/2008.

           Chairman Tobias said that the approval of the appointments will occur at the county board meeting.

LOT #13 UPDATE

          Mr. Ray Bockman, DeKalb County Administrator, updated the committee on the progress on Lot #13.  There is a 9-acre parcel of land on the Greenwood Acres side and a 5-acre parcel of land on the other side.  Work has been progressing on these in the position to either sell them off as individual parcels or as a package.  The things that have been accomplished so far are: the geotechnical report; an appraisal done; environmental assessment for phase 1; stormwater plan developed; and detailed drawings of the drainage and utility plans done.  The side of Lot #3 is zoned planned development commercial.  After these lots are created, potential buyers would have to go individually to the City of DeKalb with their project to get that project approved individually.  The other side, Lot 5, is zoned light industrial.  The City would like us to have it changed to be zoned planned development commercial as well.  He has resisted that up until now.  He now would like to grant them their request, with the committee’s consent.  It will, longer term, get better projects, but it could slow down sales, Mr. Bockman explained.  The reason, he says, is that typically the more restrictions that there are on a piece of property, the longer it takes to find buyers. 

          Currently we have lost two lots to stormwater detention.  The County Engineer is trying to get that changed to make the detention area a little bit smaller. 

          Mr. Jeff Metzger arrived @ 7:16p.m.

          Items that still needed to be negotiated with the City is an easement that we feel needs to be vacated, but the City feels that it needs to be maintained, said Mr. Bockman.  They would like to open it up for circulation for the shopping center (near Kohl’s, just above Lot #3).  The problem that we have is that it is a private road.  We don’t want the owners of these parcels to be burdened with traffic.  These are parcels of land that are surrounded by the side parking lot to a movie theater, in back of a shopping center, and an asphalt company.  A developer who wants to buy it for an auto body repair shop currently has approached me, said Mr. Bockman.  That’s the type of usage that we have always envisioned for this property, said Mr. Bockman.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

Mr. Ray Bockman, County Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on April 20, 2005.

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

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Mr. Vince Faivre, Member of the County Highway Committee, said that both of the bids that came before their committee were rolled into one resolution that is going before the county board at their April meeting.  Both are the low bidders and both came in under the Engineer’s estimate.

Ms. Leifheit, Chairman of the Law & Justice Committee, said that the Intergovernmental Agreement between the County of Kane and the County of DeKalb for the Juvenile Justice Center has been forwarded to the full board for approval.  It basically is the same agreement and it is a very good deal.  She also said that Ms. Josh, DeKalb County Circuit Clerk, said that there is more court time in the system and more difficult cases.  Everyone is very happy with the new compliance officer, also.  They heard from Sheriff Scott on his annual report, too, which was very good.

Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, said that they are bringing the zoning text amendments to the zoning ordinance, finally, to the full board for approval.  They are developing the ordinance to support the County’s Comprehensive Plan and encourage people to develop around towns.  His committee voted unanimously on this issue.  Chairman Tobias said that she received a letter of support on this issue, too.

Mr. Steimel said that the second item deals with St. John’s Lutheran Church site and the committee voted unanimously for this issue.  The Committee also is moving forward the Annual Landfill License to the full board for approval. He said that there was a slight discrepancy that Waste Management called for 12-15 years left of life in the landfill and the engineer’s report called for 10.4 years.  When he spoke with the manager out there the other day the manager said up to 14 years is probably going to be it.  Mr. Steimel further stated that his committee wants to continue with an aggressive recycling program because it is a big help.

Mr. Steimel then said that it is time to renew the Solid Waste Plan. It is approved and adopted at 5-year intervals.  They have been doing a very good job and have several recycling plans in cooperation with the Farm Bureau. 

Mr. Sands said that Shabbona did a survey on the truck traffic that is going through that area on Route 30.  He said that the results of that survey showed that there are 612 semis that travel Route 30 in an 8-hour span in one day.  The Highway Committee, he suggested, could look into this problem.  Mr. Bockman said that the MPO is going to be performing a study on truck traffic soon in the metro area.

Mr. Rosemier, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, said that they had two new applicants this year, Barb City Manor and Prairie State Legal Services, for the Senior Services Tax Levy hearings.  However, Prairie State did not send anyone to the committee meeting that evening to represent them.  He said that no agency took a cut to their budget.   Mr. Rosemier said that he sent out a letter to his committee with a recommendation to listen to all of the presentations by the agencies at the hearings in April of next year and then wait a couple of weeks.  After the two weeks are over, then the committee will meet again and make the awards to the various agencies.

Mr. Jeff Metzger, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said that their meeting was cancelled for April.  He did say that there would be several presentations scheduled for next month’s meeting.

Mr. Frank Van Buer, Chairman of the Finance Committee, said that their meeting was cancelled for April.

Ms. Fauci, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that the DeKalb County Greenways and Trails Plan has been received from their planner.  On April 27, 2005 in the Gathertorium between 7 and 9 p.m. the plans will be presented.  She also said that the Forest Preserve District has received a $70,000 Oslad Grant along with matching funds.  She said that the two largest contributors for donations to the Forest Preserve District are from the DeKalb/Sycamore Sunrise Rotary Club of $25,000 and an anonymous donor of $25,000. 

Before adjourning Chairman Tobias said that she received an invitation form the Northern Star for someone to sit on the Reader Advisory Board.  She said that if anyone is interested to please contact her.

Chairman Tobias also said that she and Mr. Bockman met with a federal lobbying group to see what they can do for our county to help us receive federal funds.  They will be working up a proposal on a small project that our county could do and will get back to her and Mr. Bockman on it.  The lobbying group presently represents Lake County and they only have clients that are from local governments.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

          Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Steimel, and it was carried unanimously by a roll call vote to move into closed session to discuss Collective Bargaining.

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

          It was moved by Mr. Van Buer, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to forward the resolution on collective bargaining with AFSCME Local #3527 to the full board for approval.

ADJOURNMENT

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

Respectfully submitted,   

______________________________

Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias

_____________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary

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