DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
Executive Committee

January 9, 2007

The Executive Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, January 9, 2007 at 7:00p.m. at the Administration Building’s Conference Room East. Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias called the meeting to order. Members present were Eileen Dubin, Julia Fauci, Pat LaVigne, Richard Osborne, Robert Rosemier, Pat Vary and Roger Steimel. Michael Haines was absent. Others present were Ray Bockman, Gary Hanson, Michael Stuckert, Jeff Metzger, Sr., Greg Millburg, Jerry Augsburger, Steve Walt, John Hulseberg, Jeff Whelan and Diane Strand.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

Moved by Ms. Vary, seconded by Ms. Fauci, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from December 2006.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

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

APPOINTMENTS:

DeKalb County Rehab and

Nursing Center Operating Board: Ms. Veronica Casella

Mr. George Daugherty

Ms. Eileen Dubin

Mr. Nate Kloster

Ms. Ruth Anne Tobias

Mr. Richard Ubl

All to be reappointed for a term of 1 year, until January 1, 2008.

Regional Planning Commission: Mr. Ralph Tompkins, primary reappointment for the Village of Maple Park, for a term of 3 years, until January 1, 2010.

Mr. Clyde Wakefield, alternate appointment for the Village of Maple Park, for a term of 3 years, until January 1, 2010.

Ms. Suzanne Sedlacek, primary appointment for the Village of Waterman, for a term of 3 years, until January 1, 2010.

Mr. Scott Hunt, alternate appointment for the Village of Waterman, for a term of 3 years, until January 1, 2010.

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

Appointments expiring for February 2007 are:

Workforce Investment Act Board – 2 positions

DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Board – 4 positions

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) – 1 position

Chairman Tobias explained that under the Cooperative Extension Board she has recently spoken with John Horn, the Unit Director, and he said that four county board members need to be appointed to this board. She said that this board meets once a year to approve their budget. Chairman Tobias said that if anyone was interested in being appointed to this board to let her know. Mr. Steimel, Ms. LaVigne, and Mr. Augsburger were all interested in being appointed to it.

She then informed the committee that the Metropolitan Planning Organization needs one county board member to be appointed to that organization. Ms. LaVigne said that she would be interested in this appointment.

APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY BOARD AGENDA

Mr. Ray Bockman, County Administrator, reviewed the county board agenda for the board meeting to be held on January 17, 2007.

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

GENERAL DISCUSSION

Ms. LaVigne, Chairman of the County Highway Committee, said that under the one item numbered Resolution #R2007-11 she wanted to make sure that the county board members knew that the County is not paying for any of this, the Railroad Company is.

Mr. Steimel, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Committee, said that they did not have a meeting in December. However, he did want the committee to be aware that the Regional Planning Commission will be holding a Development Seminar on February 22, 2007 @ 7:00p.m., and it will be held in the Gathertorium.

Mr. Richard Osborne, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, said that they have not met yet. They will be meeting in a couple of weeks and they will hear from the Drug Court and the usual departments.

Ms. Fauci, Chairman of the Forest Preserve Committee, said that Mr. Chris Hauser from the Steward Program @ Nehring Forest Preserve gave a presentation of the habitat there and how they are trying to bring it back to the way it was. When they are finished it will be one of the rarest restorations of that kind of habitat in the Country. Mr. Hannan has advertised the Stewardship Program locally and he is beginning to receive phone calls on it. She also wanted to inform the committee that Mr. Hannan received $70,000 from an Osland Grant that will be used for more Pottawatomi Woods improvements. She said that they also held an Executive Session on Potential Land Purchase.

Chairman Tobias asked when will the Forest Preserve District be able to begin purchasing property?

Mr. Hanson, Deputy County Administrator, said that they will collect their first $600,000.00 by September of this year.

Mr. Rosemier, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, stated that his committee heard from a group of local mental health agencies and the Mental Health Board regarding the impact of an amendment to the Elder Abuse law that has recently been enacted as of January 1, 2007 regarding the issue that self-abuse is now considered as elder abuse. His committee was seeking information on funding and their primary concern, which is an assurance that there were fewer seniors falling through the cracks on this issue. Ms. Carney, Director of the Mental Health 708 Board, will hold a meeting with this team of mental health agencies on January 25, 2007 @ 3:30p.m. in her office to discuss this issue further. Because of this new amendment, which is an unfunded mandate, it will create a greater demand on these agencies.

Ms. Dubin, Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said that they heard a property tax abatement proposal for a project titled Project Nine in the Park 88 development. They were told that there was a need to do the proposal as quickly as possible and that the County was the last agency to approve it. After the meeting Mr. Hopkins called to say that the petitioner asked to have the item removed from the county board agenda and Ms. Dubin agreed to it. Out of this Mr. Metzger said that he would like some guidelines for the typical questions that are asked frequently and he has agreed to work with Mr. Roger Hopkins of the Economic Development Corporation to help develop it. Her committee will be discussing this issue at their next meeting on Wednesday, January 10, 2007.

Mr. Steimel said that he would like to see what the Nestle Project has done for DeKalb.

Mr. Bockman said that he thinks it would be helpful to the committee and the county board members as to how the other taxing bodies arrived at their numbers? There was a lot of thought that went into these incentive programs and he is encouraging the Economic Development Committee to look at this.

Ms. Dubin said that her committee would also be looking into bio-fuel and agri-business.

WATER AUTHORITY DISCUSSION

Mr. Bockman, County Administrator, updated the committee on the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority. He said that at the latest hearing there were many motions filed of people who would like to be let out of it. The Cities of DeKalb and Sycamore said that they should let the entire County out of the boundaries of the water authority and if not, then include them into it. The Oral Arguments will be heard on January 30, 2007 @ 1:30p.m. at which time the Judge will take all of this under advisement and then he will make a judgment. Mr. Bockman does not know the date of when the judgment needs to be completed by. He also informed the committee that this issue would appear on the Planning and Zoning agenda and the Regional Planning Commission agenda.

Chairman Tobias reminded the members about the NACo Legislative Conference to be held the first week of March 2007.

ADJOURNMENT

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

Respectfully submitted,

______________________________

Chairman Ruth Anne Tobias

_____________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary