DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
Executive Committee

June 13, 2006

The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, June 13, 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, Roger Steimel, Sue Leifheit, Julia Fauci, Pat LaVigne and Julia Fullerton. Dennis Sands and Robert Rosemier were absent. Others present were Gary Hanson, Steve Kuhn, Jerry Augsburger, Jeff Metzger, Sr., and Steve Slack.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Moved by Mr. Whelan, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from May 2006.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Moved by Ms. Fullerton, seconded by Ms. LaVigne, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda as presented.

APPOINTMENTS:

Rehab and Nursing Center

Operating Board: Mr. Dick Ubl, reappointment for a term of 1 year, until 6/1/07

Fairdale Light District: Ms. Beverly Richardson, reappointment for a term

of 3 years, until 6/01/2009.

General Assistance Appeal Board: Mr. Arden F. Awe

Ms. Barbara Young

Ms. Jean Augsburg

Mr. Norman Troeger

Ms. Patricia LaVigne

All reappointments for a term of 3 years, until 6/01/2009.

Ruth Anne – then please ask for a motion to approve these appointments.

Appointments expiring for July 2006 are:

Somonauk Cemetery Association – 6 positions

Community Services Administrative Board – 1 position

Workforce Investment Act Board – 4 positions

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

Chairman Tobias said that she will be considering people to appoint next month the Ad Hoc Solid Waste Committee to study the landfill and waste management issue. The Landfill is supposed to be all filled up within 9 years and she feels that as a community and county board that the county needs to study this situation. She also said that the landfill is bringing in less than 10% from outside areas and that they are transporting 300 tons a day into the landfill.

There will be appointments from county board members, staff members and a representative from the Town of Cortland or from Cortland Township, Mr. Bob Drake from the Health Department and Mr. Bockman. The staff members will be non-voting members, she explained. Ms. Fullerton said that she would like to have the Chairman consider representatives from the City of Sycamore and the City of DeKalb, too. Chairman Tobias said that she would not like the committee to be too large and no more than 12 members. Mr. Bockman suggested that she also consider appointing Mr. Paul Miller, DeKalb County Planning and Zoning Director and someone from the State’s Attorney’s Office. She further informed the committee that she will be appointing the members to the new ad hoc solid waste committee next month.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

Mr. Bockman, DeKalb County Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on June 21, 2006.

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

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Ms. Leifheit, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, said that they are bring forth 4 resolutions to the full board this month. The Court Automation Fee and Document Storage Fee will go from $5.00 to $15.00. The Drug Court Fee, which is a new privilege because of a change in wording, will go to $10.00. She said that these fees are actually user fees. The Public Defender’s Reimbursement Program has been a law for some time but the State of Illinois has not funded it and now they are. Our participation in it is contingent on the State continuing to fund it. It saves us money and gives the Public Defender a raise. The County is changing it to a full-time position, which it has been for quite some time, but has always been called a part-time position so that the person in that position could have a private practice if they wanted to. For years now no one has been able to have a private practice and be the public defender at the same time.

Ms. Fullerton, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said that her committee is bringing forward the Senior Services Homestead Exemption Amendment. The Supervisor of Assessments is requesting that the dealine for filing this exemption be extended to December 31, 2006. She said that they also heard from Ms. Whitwell, Supervisor of Assessments, regarding her annual report. It was very enlightening. Some of the highlights from the report stated that we remain 91% farmland; the median sale price for bare land per acre is $7,950.00; 2005 total assessed value increased by 10.92% from 2004; and in 2005 the total value amount of exemptions was a little over $141 million. She said that Mr. Dennis Sands brought forth suggestions for discussion items for the Economic Development Committee. The committee will be discussing those items next month. They received a proposal for broadband for the county and they will be considering that proposal, too.

Ms. LaVigne, Chairman of the County Highway Committee, said that they have forwarded one resolution to the full board regarding a bid award for the replacement of a box culvert. She said that they also had a special meeting regarding the intersection of Annie Glidden Road and Rich Road. There has been some trouble for a while with this intersection. The people that were there and the committee liked Mr. Lorence’s ideas of placing a double line stripe for a no-passing zone. The other idea that he had is to bring in solar reflected lights, where they will be blinking Red on Rich Road and Yellow on Annie Glidden Road. The members asked Ms. LaVigne when Bethany Road would be opening up? Ms. LaVigne said very soon.

Mr. Whelan, Chairman of the Finance Committee, said that they are forwarding the Uniform Real Estate Transfer Tax Resolution. An example would be where one entity comes in and there are so many stockholders who own that company, and they just transfer stock from one stockholder to the other, however, the County never realizes anything from it. Hopefully, this will help us.

He also said that the budget calendar will be going out to everyone soon and he encourages the members to review it carefully. His committee also heard from Ms. Mary Simons, Secretary for the Public Building Commission, who enlightened the committee about the storage problems in the County and the shortage of storage that we are currently encountering. Lastly, they also heard about the new facility update located by the health department.

Ms. Fauci, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that her committee heard from Mr. Joe Scutter of Chicago Wilderness Project, who approached them about the need to count birds in our county because we are part of the “collar counties” now. Mr. Scutter and his group wanted to make sure the committee would allow volunteers to help this group out with the project. They also heard from Mr. Dan Lobbes of the Conservation Foundation, of Naperville, Illinois, who specializes in purchasing public land. Next month they will have a presentation from Mr. Craig Hubert who is a retired Forest Preserve Superintendent of McHenry County.

Mr. Roger Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, said that his committee met jointly with the County Highway Committee in May regarding a very ambitious project in the Town of Cortland for a proposed intersection at Hinckley Road. He said that there is a lot of money behind this project and it is very large. He is recommending that everyone move slowly on this project and see what happens.

Chairman Tobias informed the committee about Embridge Company, a pipeline company, who is proposing a pipeline that would run through our County with 42-inch pipeline all the way from Wisconsin down to Flanaghan, Illinois. They state that they are the largest pipeline company in the world. They also state that there is a dramatic need for this type of pipeline in this area. Their offices are located in the Farm Bureau Building currently. Mr. Faivre stated that when discussions begin again with this group to make sure that tile replacement is discussed with them.

ADJOURNMENT

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

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________

Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias

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Mary C. Supple, Secretary