DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
Executive Committee

March 7, 2006

The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at 7:00p.m. at the Administration Building’s Conference Room East. Vice-Chairman Dennis Sands called the meeting to order. Members present were Julia Fauci, Pat LaVigne, Sue Leifheit, Julia Fullerton, Roger Steimel and Robert Rosemier. Ms. Tobias and Mr. Whelan were absent. Vice-Chairman Sands asked the following committee Vice-Chairmen to represent their committees and to take the seat of their committee Chairpersons. Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee, Sue Leifheit, sat in for Jeff Whelan. Others present were Gary Hanson, Greg Millburg, Haley Murray, Jerry Augsburger, Eileen Dubin and Steve Slack.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Moved by Ms. LaVigne, seconded by Mr. Steimel, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from February 2006.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

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

APPOINTMENTS

Maple Park and Countryside

Fire Protection District: Mr. Gerald A. Hartmann, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Waterman Fire Protection District: Mr. Duane Earl Boesche, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Malta Fire Protection District: Mr. Robert Gommel, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

DeKalb Community Fire

Protection District: Mr. Charles J. Faivre, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Cortland Fire Protection District: Mr. Robert Jordal, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Sycamore Fire Protection District: Mr. Tracy Jones, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Kirkland Fire Protection District: Mr. Gene Lane, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Genoa-Kingston Fire Protection District: Mr. Elmer T. Hughes, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Hinckley Fire Protection District: Mr. Gale A. Nehring, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Shabbona Fire Protection District: Mr. Gerry Hinkston, reappointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

DeKalb Sanitary District: Mr. Pat Conboy, appointment for a term of 3-years, until 04/01/2009.

Appointments expiring for April 2006 are:

Regional Plan Commission – 6 positions

Farmland Assessment Review Committee – 1 position

Moved by Ms. LaVigne, second by Ms. Leifheit to divide and separate the voting between the Fire Protection Districts and the DeKalb Sanitary District. She would like them to appear on the county board agenda separately also. Vice-Chairman Sands felt that it should be done at the county board meeting. He said that he feels that it can be done that evening. Ms. Fullerton said that she felt that it would be okay to do it this way at this point of the meeting. Mr. Steimel felt that she should be able to do this at the time the committee takes up the approval of the county board agenda and then amend that agenda. Ms. LaVigne withdrew her motion for now.

Moved by Ms. Fauci, seconded by Mr. Steimel, and it was carried unanimously to accept the recommended appointments and to forward them to the full board for approval.

COUNTY GOVERNMENT WEEK DISCUSSION

Vice-Chairman Sands introduced Ms. Haley Murray, the County Board Administrative Intern, to the committee. Ms. Murray said that she is going over the website for the National County Government Week to try and get ideas for the upcoming County Government Week from April 23 – 29^,2006. She is suggesting that a career day may be good that involved people in the field of protecting the community, that is, law enforcement, fire protection, natural disaster protection - those types of jobs. The brochure also suggested to have these people go to various high schools and make presentations before the students. Or even do a whole presentation on what county officials do as a whole to protect our community. It would be pro-active to bring it to them, she felt. This would be done during the month of April with a proclamation being read at the April County Board Meeting.

Ms. Dubin suggested that maybe we could get the word out to adults, too. Ms. Murray said that she was thinking of producing a flyer explaining what the county does or hold a presentation for adults.

The committee discussed that it might be a good idea to explain to the high school students in their Government classes and to adults in a presentation about the various levels of local government, also.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

Mr. Gary Hanson, DeKalb County Deputy Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on March 15, 2006. He pointed out that if the amendment for the appointments goes through this committee tonight that it would appear on the agenda.

Moved by Ms. LaVigne, seconded by Ms. Leifheit, to amend the county board agenda to divide the voting under Appointments on the county board agenda to reflect the following items as: a.) Fire Protection Districts and b.) DeKalb Sanitary District, and it was carried to forward this recommendation to the full board for approval. Ms. Fauci voted no.

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

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Ms. Fauci, Chair of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that they have a brochure out now explaining the forest preserve referendum. She also said that Maple Syrup Day was last Saturday and there was a meeting held regarding a new program that they are starting called the Stewardship Program. This is a stewardship program where they would have biologists and ecologists working with stewards who train people to show up the first Saturday of the month and work on one habitat. Ms. Fauci then informed the committee that the March Forest Preserve Meeting is cancelled.

Mr. Rosemier, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, said that his committee heard from Mr. Herb Holderman, Superintendent of the Veteran’s Commission and Ms. Carney, Executive Director of the Mental Health 708 Board. He said they also were visited by Ms. Mary Olson, Director of the Community Services Department, who distributed the Senior Services Tax Levy materials to the committee.

Ms. Fullerton, Chair of the Economic Development Committee said that their February committee meeting had been cancelled and that in March 2006, they will be visited by Mr. Chuck Siebrasse and a speaker from NIU regarding the Technology Triangle.

Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, said that they have one item coming before the county board this month for approval. He explained that this request is from Mullins Grain located in Rollo.

Mr. Steimel said that one issue not on the agenda is that Cortland approached his committee to see if the County would consider changing our numbering system outside of the Town of Cortland for those locations that are around the town. There is a special informational meeting that will be held this Thursday, March 9, 2006. He spoke with the postal director and he said that the County had the authority to change the street and numbering system, but the Post Office has the authority to name the post office and the zip code.

Ms. Leifheit, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee said that they heard from Mr. Dennis Miller on the Coroners Annual Report and ESDA’s Annual Report. She also informed the committee that the Law and Justice Committee will hear the Judicial Update on Monday, March 10, 2006, from Judge Klein, Maureen Josh, Circuit Clerk, Ron Matekaitis, State’s Attorney and Marilyn Stromborg, Special Court Administrator for the Drug Court.

Ms. Leifheit, Vice-Chairman of the Finance Committee, said that their committee discussed the budget workshop that will be held on the same evening of the May 2006 Finance Committee meeting, starting at 6:00p.m. with a Budget “101” type presentation. They also heard from the Facility Manager, Ken Campbell about his department’s update for the last quarter.

Ms. LaVigne, Chairman of the County Highway Committee, said that they have a few items coming before the county board for approval this month. She also said that the Jewel-Osco project will be coming before the county board at the April meeting.

ADJOURNMENT

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

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________

Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias

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Mary C. Supple, Secretary