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Will County Gazette

Friday, March 29, 2024

Will County County Board met April 19.

Meetingroom02

Will County County Board met April 19.

Here is the minutes provided by the Board:

I. Call To Order

Executive Walsh called the meeting to order.

II. Pledge Of Allegiance To The Flag

Member Rice led the Pledge of Allegiance.

III. Invocation

Pastor Herbert Brooks, Jr. from St. John’s Baptist Church, Joliet, Illinois led the invocation.

IV. Roll Call

Attendee Name; Title; Status; Arrived:

Judy Ogalla District 1 (R - Monee) Present

Laurie Summers District 1 (D - Crete) Present

Jim Moustis Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort) Present

Cory Singer District 2 (R - Frankfort) Present

Donald A. Moran District 3 (D - Romeoville) Present

Beth Rice District 3 (D - Bolingbrook) Present

Kenneth E. Harris District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) Present

Jacqueline Traynere District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) Present

Darren Bennefield District 5 (R - Aurora) Present

Gretchen Fritz District 5 (R - Plainfield) Present

Donald Gould District 6 (R - Shorewood) Present

Debbie Militello District 6 (R - Channahon) Present

Steve Balich District 7 (R - Homer Glen) Present

Mike Fricilone District 7 (R - Homer Glen) Present

Herbert Brooks Jr. District 8 (D - Joliet) Present

Denise E. Winfrey District 8 (D - Joliet) Present

Annette Parker District 9 (R - Crest Hill) Present

Lauren Staley-Ferry District 9 (D - Joliet) Present

Gloria Dollinger District 10 (R - Joliet) Present

Tyler Marcum District 10 (D - Joliet) Present

Suzanne Hart District 11 (R - Naperville) Absent

Charles E. Maher District 11 (R - Naperville) Present

Ray Tuminello District 12 (R - New Lenox) Present

Tom Weigel District 12 (R - New Lenox) Present

Mark Ferry District 13 (D - Plainfield) Present

Tim Kraulidis District 13 (R - Joliet) Present

V. Declaring Quorum Present

VI. Motion To Place On File Certificate Of Publication

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Laurie Summers, District 1 (D - Crete)

Seconder: Mark Ferry, District 13 (D - Plainfield)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

VII. Approval Of Minutes

1. Will County Board - Recessed Meeting - Mar 15, 2018 9:30 am

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Debbie Militello, District 6 (R - Channahon)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

VIII. Acknowledgement Of Elected Officials And Media Present

Elected officials present: Auditor, Duffy Blackburn; County Clerk, Nancy Schultz Voots; County Executive, Larry Walsh and State’s Attorney, James Glasgow

Media present: Farmers Weekly Review, Nick Reiher; Southtown, Susan Lafferty

IX. Honorary Resolutions / Proclamations

1. Recognizing April as National Fair Housing Month

Member Staley-Ferry stated good morning, thank you. I would like to read a proclamation recognizing April 2018 as National Fair Housing Month.

X. Old Business

Status of Unsigned or Returned Resolutions/Ordinances by the County Executive

All Resolutions approved at the March 15, 2018 County Board Meeting have been signed by the County Executive

XI. New Business

1. Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Onto 2050 Presentation

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated thank you Executive Walsh for the opportunity to come out and talk briefly to the Will County Board. A little bit of background about CMAP, who we are, what we do, why we do it and then Mr. Jesse Elam will take over the “meat” of the presentation and we’ll both be prepared to answer any questions that you might have. Who is CMAP? We were established by the Illinois General Assembly in 2006. If I had to take three words to summarize what it is that we do, those three words would be to help communities prosper. Very simple. We serve as the regions comprehensive planning agency and, under state statute, our mandate is to integrate land use and transportation planning with the goal of driving economic growth and high quality of life for our 8.5 million residents. Our region.it takes up all seven counties as well as the city of Chicago. That’s 284 municipalities, and as I said, 8.5 million residents. One of the functions that we undertake as part of being a comprehensive planning agency is serving as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization, or in short term we call it MPO. Our job as the MPO is to develop the region's long-range transportation plan. It is just one piece, one segment, one section of a broader comprehensive plan for the region. That transportation piece has to fit in with the broader goals and policies for the region. But it’s critical because transportation projects have to be in the comprehensive plan in order to receive federal funding. We’re in the process now, every ten years under federal law, we’re required to prepare a new long-range plan for the region. We’re currently undertaking that effort right now for our next long-range plan which is entitled “On To 2050.” It has a 30 year time frame which is the expectation under federal law. It’s the successor to our last plan which was called “Go To 2040.” That was actually CMAP’s first plan after established by the assembly in 2006. That plan won several national awards. Our goal is to do even better now as we undertake our efforts for the 2050 plan. We’re in the final stretch. We’re two and a half years now into what has been a three year process of extensive research, analysis, public outreach. When I mentioned that the 2040 plan won national awards, one of those was for its outreach component. In putting together the 2050 plan actually set the goal for staff that I wanted to more than double the amount of contacts that we made in the preparation of this plan and actually staff as actually exceeded that. We are going to better than triple the amount of public outreach and comments to our residents and citizens.triple it over what we did a decade ago, and that one won national awards. Draft public comment period will be from June 15th to August 14th and adoption is planned for October 10th. There’s three overarching principles to the 2050 plan. Prioritize investment, how do we make sure we get the maximum return for our residents? That’s for every single penny that we’re investing, inclusive growth. Making sure all corners of the region, all residents of the region, have the opportunity to participate in a meaningful way in our economy. Resiliency.how do we make sure our communities are more resilience, whether it’s the impacts of the flooding problems that we’re having, whether it’s being more resilient to other shockers communities are facing such as the fiscal stress that so many are under. In CMAP we believe that dispassionate analysis is the key to everything that we do. We have to see where good analysis or facts takes us. That means prioritizing investments like I said. How do we make sure that our residents get the highest rate of return on limited transportation dollars? This is going to be critical. We face, walking into this plan, a $24 billion shortfall. You heard that right. A $24 billion shortfall to simply maintain the system we have today in the condition it’s in today. If you want to keep the failing system that we have and the current decaying condition, we have to come up with $24 billion more. If we want to do any modernization and improvement, we’re going to need even more than that. Our transportation program required by federal law to be constrained. So as we get into the reasonably expected revenues, that’s the picture that we’re walking into as we put together those pieces for the constrained program. The bottom line is our goal is a major emphasis on fix it first, modernizing existing assets, we think that has to be the focus. So Mr. Jesse Elam will talk about what that mean particularly to you folks in the context of the freight plan that you prepared over this past year, and how those pieces, many of those programs, those priorities, get achieved.

Mr. Jesse Elam stated thank you Mr. Joseph Szabo and I appreciate the opportunity to come talk to you this morning. I am the Director of Programming at CMAP which mean that I run the transportation grant programs at CMAP. I am going to try to take the overarching principles that Mr. Joseph Szabo talked about down to a specific capital project. Not all the capital projects across the region that we hear about, but the ones that are the most relevant to Will County. So, in off to 2050 we are trying to put together a balanced set of projects that best meets the needs of the whole region. That also means meeting local needs, like some of the key projects in the Will County Community Friendly Freight Plan, which we believe On To2050 reflects. The point is, going back to fiscal constraint briefly mentioned, we can’t do everything so we have to have priorities. Our federal rules that govern how we do the plan say that we have to show that we can reasonably pay for improvements we recommend while also making sure that the whole system is accurately maintaining. Those projects that are in the fiscally constrained part of the plan, they can move forward, they can get federal approvals, and participate in federal financing programs. On the flipside, those projects that are on the unconstrained part of the plan, that doesn’t necessarily mean those are bad projects. It may mean they just need more study, it may mean that they are not quite ready or ripe enough for the region to commit to. There’s always the opportunity since we go through a planning process every four years, there’s always an opportunity to come back around. Before I get into the list itself, I want to tell you a little bit about how we came to it, how we arrived at the list by first asking for candidate projects from our partner agencies as well as from the public. What’s in the plan is really driven by what came out of that process, what was submitted to us. We got a list of over 100 projects that came to $140 billion in today’s money, which is a lot, so we knew we had to narrow that down through an evaluation process that looked at the needs the project addressed right now and looked at (inaudible) performance. We did technical evaluation using forecasts of jobs and population, and then how well the project fits with On To 2050 priorities which Mr. Joseph Szabo mentioned those being prioritize investment, inclusive growth, and resilience. So the staff recommendation that we’re talking about and is out for stakeholders to review, really reflects the financial situation of the region. The fact that we do have these really large gaps in what revenue we have available, and the needs on the system that reflects that financial situation and reflects our need to modernize and rebuild a lot of the existing expressway and transit system that’s out there. The draft list of fiscally constrained projects that most directly benefit Will County are as follows: I-80. Big priority in the plan. There are actually two I-80 projects. One west of US 30 and the other east of US 30 to 294. The western segment has some big state of repair problems. It’s got some bridges in bad shape, some pavement that needs reconstruction, as well some safety issues. Actually there are multiple locations along I-80 that are in the top five percent worst safety locations across the state. The eastern part is more of a capacity addition, but we’re really recommending I-80 be seen as an entire corridor, but we’re looking at all the problems not necessarily just fixing the stuff for Joliet or doing short term projects there but really looking at the overall needs on that whole corridor, so the draft plan is recommending that. I-55.the constraining lists that we’re recommending includes improvements south of I-80. Big priorities there like Lorenzo Road interchange to ultimately this project would include over the 30 years of the plan adding new capacity, adding new lanes. With that, again, the 30 year period of the plan, reconstructing all of I-55 all the way to downtown. We will ultimately need that over the 30 years of the plan. There are also a couple of projects of county jurisdiction roads. One is to expand Laraway Road and take it from a rural cross section up to something with more capacity. That’s a (inaudible) priority for the County. Another is past increase reconfiguration of Wilmington-Peotone Road. Those are the projects that are being recommended for the fiscally constrained list that benefit Will County. Let me talk a little bit about some that are on the unconstrained list. One is the Illiana Expressway.that project would have the benefit of getting trucks from the intermodal facilities off of rural roads that were never designed to carry that much truck traffic. But it is a new greenfield project, whereas the plan, as we’ve hinted before, is trying to fix problems on the existing system. So the plan is suggesting that we fix and expand I-80 which will serve some of the same trips that the Illiana Expressway would, while fixing the (inaudible) repair and safety problems that I mentioned earlier. Another one is Caton Farm-Bruce Road. This project is in preliminary engineering right now, the project team is still looking at route alternatives, so there’s much work to be done before that scope is final. I’d also need some work on how to finance the project. This is a project that could be ready by the time the plan is updated in four years, but it isn’t right yet. Those are some of the projects in ON TO 2050 with a draft on the 2050 with a Will County focus. I also want to point out that the constrained list that I just ran through is definitely not the only capital investments that matter. These are just the ones that are big enough and have broad enough impacts that they deserve more discussion as part of the regional planning process. Before I leave, I want to wrap up with another complimentary project to On To 2050. CMAP is also developing, what we are calling a vision for the Northeastern Illinois expressway system. The expressways were mostly built in the 50’s and 60’s and actually even laid out in the 30’s and 40’s. So the question is, when we rebuild these, which we’re going to need to rebuild a lot of the expressway system over the next 30 years, what do we do to make it a 21st century system? What does a 21st century expressway system look like? How do things like automated vehicles change what we do? There’s a lot of questions to be answered there and we’re trying to answer them as part of a joint project with IDOT and the tollway. We plan to release this vision for the northeast Illinois expressway system after (inaudible) is done as one of our first major implementation projects should be coming out in December or January. This expressway vision is going to build on what we learned in the regional plan. We also want to add more detail there, explore some other options so, for instance, on I-80, we’ll be studying different toll rates and looking at some things that haven’t been done in the region and looking at some things that haven’t been done in the region because I failed to mention, perhaps earlier, doing any major project on I-80 is most likely going to need the tollway to finance that project. We would like to study that in a bit more detail and the expressway vision and we’d also like to look at a couple of things that haven’t been done to the region or anywhere in the United States. That would be things including a truck only facility. So there’s a lot of interesting things to be looked at, expressway vision. We mean this project to set the stage for really transforming investments in years to come and that includes having better integration of transit on the expressway corridors. Again, we appreciate the chance to address the Board this morning. There is a lot more to On To 2050 than we talked about in these 15 or so minutes that we have here, but we would encourage you all to dig in to the drafts of the plan which are out for stakeholder review right now. We are looking for feedback from all of our partners in the next few weeks so that we can revise and release the plan for public comment in the summer.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated so at that we will take any questions. There will be 10 public hearings over the summer across the region for public input, as well as the opportunity to provide that input online. As Mr. Jesse Elam indicated, individual chapters are out now to our various committee members for their input and review. I know Mr. John Greuling has been reviewing chapters, your different appointees to our various committees all are reviewing chapters. As Mr. Jesse Elam said, there’s so much more to the plan than just strictly the transportation piece, but that’s what we were asked to focus on in our 10-15 minutes this morning.

Member Moustis stated I have a couple of questions but I’m going to stick on transportation right now. You mentioned the tollway. It seems it’s shifting about the role perhaps tolling is going to play in the future. I guess that’s really what my question is. It’s not necessarily something CMAP looked at in the past, tolling roads becoming a form of financing infrastructure. I see that going forward, there seems to be more cooperation than there once was.lDOT, the toll authority, CMAP.there just seems to be a shift in attitude, and I guess that’s why my question.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated so was it a part of the 2040 Plan? Yes, but I think it’s a higher degree of emphasis today for a combination of reasons. One, you talk about a relationship, and it is very strong between IDOT, CMAP and the tollway and that is why IDOT and the tollway came to us and asked us to undertake the comprehensive expressway study. There’s a clear understanding that there has to be a financing plan that goes along with it. We don’t get to just (inaudible) a vision. It’s got to be a vision that’s also matched up with revenues to implement. While tolling and concepts like managed lanes were certainly a part of the 2040 plan, I think the acuteness of our funding challenges as a region is much more severe today than it was a decade ago. You take a look at how federal policy is evolving. There’s just simply no getting away from the fact that user fees are going to have to pay for the system and that tolling is one that is appropriate. Mr. Jesse Elam, anything you wanted to add on that?

Mr. Jesse Elam stated I think that’s fair enough. I would say federal policy has been loosening up towards tolling for some time now and I think ultimately Congress is going to have to embrace that on the interstate system to help finance the reconstruction of that.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated we talk about the analysis that we do as an agency that we’re pretty proud of. We’ve done all the analysis on the diminishing buying power that the current gas tax provides. The fact that both on a federal and state level that it’s not only not been increased was never indexed to inflation and so the purchasing power on that, the loss is dramatic. Compound that with the fact that vehicles are becoming much more efficient, so we have to become more creative. Obviously it’s going to be real important as these conversations take place that we explain to the public and educate the public what’s in it for them, what’s in their best interest. That’s why we do focus so heavily on prioritized investment and it’s about achieving that trust with the public that every penny we’re spending getting them the best return.

Member Singer stated good morning guys. Thank you for being here. I want to begin by saying I come to the conversation to some extent with a bias, no offense to you. Years ago I had advocated we not participate in CMAP whether we find a way to be removed from that. I still contend that. Again, nothing to do with your work or your presentation, but simply because I believe then and now that in the big picture, over time, two issues: one is that having an organization that is as growing grip on policy and influencing policy from those who are unelected, changes our process to a point that is not advantageous at all to suburban community. But also, on average the investment that Will County resident taxpayers would have to pay compared to the potential benefit that they would receive over time is dramatically insignificant compared to those in Cook County, especially when CMAP has a Board that is primarily governed by people from Chicago and Cook County. I just want you to know I’m coming.primarily.majority. It’s not a suburban majority Board, it’s a Chicago, Cook County majority Board. So I come to that with bias. There’s a degree of cynicism here, I’m being remarkably honest here this morning about my cynicism. I’m looking at your plan and it calls for a number of tax increases. I understand that roads are expensive. I also understand that, to be honest again, the gas tax has not kept up with time. You’re calling for an eight cent or eight percent, which one was it?

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated it’s not a percentage.that was the 2040 recommendation, I believe.

Mr. Jesse Elam stated to keep up with inflation, it would need to go up by about 15 cents.

Member Singer stated, okay, 15 cents, big number. Whatever the numbers I understand (inaudible). I understand it because as you’ve talked about Congress making it clearer, the federal government is making it clearer they’re going to be participating less.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated regions are going to have to rely on self-help.

Member Singer stated yes local regions are going to have to come up with the money and it’s primarily going to user fees. I understand all that. However, when I look at the proposed taxes within the plan, putting an increase in the gas tax, congestion pricing, potentially mileage pricing as we start to see in some states out west. Fees are just tacked on and on and on. I’ll tell you that someone sitting in this seat and I imagine a number of people on this Board, certainly our residents, have a degree of cynicism. Even while those taxes could be increased and those specific monies may very well go to a road improvement program, the state would then do what it’s always done in the past, and take what was originally targeted for roads and put it somewhere else. So I would encourage you, within your policy statements, to address those issues. I would encourage you to.whatever the silly term is, lockbox or whatever it is.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated it may not be clear to you but that is what we talk about, the necessary reform that the public deserves. With any revenue enhancement, and what we’re talking about when its (inaudible). But I do want to come back to your point because I think you have a misconception on the makeup of our Board. Its’ a 15 person Board. It requires a super-majority of twelve to approve anything and it is made up predominately of suburban mayors from Cook, Will, Kane, Kendall, McHenry, Lake and Dupage.

Member Singer stated I understand we can talk semantics all day. My opinion about the political makeup of that Board remains. My point this morning is, again, that I have two primary concerns. I wanted them voiced in this public hearing. One of them is, again, I have concerns about Will County participating in an organization that can impact public policy in a significant way as it relates to funding by people who are not elected to represent them. That is one big concern. It’s been mine since this concept was originated and it always will be. The second one is that we have, as part of those advocated public policies, a considerable amount of tax increases, revenue enhancements, or whatever we want to call them, they’re tax increases and we’re taking more money from people in a state that is absolutely killing its residents and driving them out of the state.for that matter we may not have to worry about road improvements at all once everyone leaves Illinois. Frankly, guys this isn’t your problem, you’re participating in it, you didn’t create it.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated my point is we’re advocates of good government. We’re the advocates of the reform, the advocates of the prioritized investment, we’re the advocates of being transparent to make sure that every penny that does get invested in our transportation system or to other projects, through good analysis shows it's giving the highest level of return to the public.

Member Singer stated I hope so. But here’s what I wanted (inaudible). What we didn’t review today was the long list of other infrastructure projects that are a higher priority in Cook, Lake, Dupage, particularly eastern Dupage, certainly Cook and the city. My concern is, it has been in the past and will continue is that the amount of money should these tax increases come into play as public policy, as advocated by CMAP, should those tax increases come into play, and 700,000 Will County residents are paying those tax increases, that on average, they are not going to see that kind of benefit because I just don’t believe that when push comes to shove, Lorenzo Road is going to be the priority, or that billions of dollars towards I-80 is going to be the priority. It’s going to eventually continue to be centered into the more metropolitan areas.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated so let me just say this.when we do our work we do not look at segments of the region. We view this as one unified region. Our decisions are made, what brings the highest level of value to the economic road, to the quality of life, of every corner of this region. So it comes back to what I said early on about inclusive growth.making sure that all parts of the region, all citizens of the region, have an opportunity to meaningfully participate in the economy. We don’t play favorites, we do good analysis, we call balls and strikes and we try to help all 284 of our communities prosper.

Member Maher stated thank you. You mentioned the amount $140 billion. You didn’t identify whether that, and you were also talking about that is, is that part of Will County’s take is? Or is that for the regional project for the whole region?

Mr. Jesse Elam stated the $140 for actually for the projects that were submitted by the public or by other public agencies as candidates for regionally significant properties. So when you went in and identified the I-80, the double projects, the I-55, you come up with what your estimated cost was going to be for those projects a little bit to what Member Singer is saying here, the give back to this part of the region.

Mr. Jesse Elam stated like Mr. Joseph Szabo stated that’s not how we’re thinking about it. This part of the region put in X-amount of tax dollars and so therefore.

Member Maher stated and again, I’m looking at a tit for tat, I’m just asking what the amount is that’s estimated for these projects that you’ve identified.

Mr. Jesse Elam stated so yes, I-80 is at least a billion, might be two so it’s up there.

Member Maher stated or four. Especially if you’re putting additional lanes in and tolling, and actually look at some parallel toll lanes for trucks.

Mr. Jesse Elam stated I’m talking about the western segment. Yes, I think the whole corridor could be as high as your talking about. I-55 the same thing. I think when you include constructing the bridges over the DesPlaines River at a capacity there it’s going to be a big project.

Member Maher stated so are you involved when communities go in for their grants? Federal, local grants? Are you helping sign off or are you supporting those processes?

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated often when asked, one of the services that we do provide is our local technical assistance program. On an annual basis we have a call for projects from all of our 284 communities, as well as the seven counties. We’ve done LTA work for Will. Roughly 25 to 30-35 projects are selected each year. We actually go in and help the communities put together projects based on their priorities. These are things that the local community wants, the local village Board and Mayor wants. So we help them with them and often it does result in them coming to us asking for letters of support.

Member Maher stated so you made it to the secretary’s desk. We were just in Washington, D.C. and we were able in our Tiger Grant we made it to the secretary’s desk and we didn’t get over the hump. They were looking at rural areas, one per state. They highly recommended that we do this again. Mr. Nick Palmer these guys put in a letter for us.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated we certainly have a long history of signing letters that support on Tiger projects. Whether I signed one on that I can’t tell you for sure.

Member Maher stated you’ve identified an actual major project that we’re looking at here and want to make sure that this is also brought up here in a public forum that we’d like your support in getting this done next time because this is not just a Will County thing, we’re talking about the entire country being impacted by I-80 and the traffic flow and safe traffic flow through this corridor.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated it is not uncommon for us to support those types of things; very common.

Member Moran stated hello Mr. Joseph Szabo. You know what I’m going to ask about. (Inaudible) remove the Illiana Expressway to the fiscally constrained list. I’m not sure how up to date the data is that CMAP uses in making their decisions in that, but 3.5% of the Gross National Product of the country goes to our intermodal facilities. Last year we built 22 million new square feet of warehouse space in Will County. If you’re looking at traffic studies that are even just a couple years old, they’re obsolete for what’s actually going on in our county. The Federal Highway Administration considers the supply chain.more products are moving from and moving to. About 90% of the (inaudible) that goes to the west coast to the east coast, travels through Will County on class one railroads as you’re well aware. What I’m concerned about is removing it from the fiscally constrained list even if there was no public money involved in building it, would probably take it off the list of projects that would get approval by the (inaudible.) I’m asking make sure that you guys are positive in what’s in the best interest of the region and this country. Thank you.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated we are, Member Moran. To be clear, there’s no greenfield development in the plan because of the different constraints that we’re facing as well as the need to focus on fix-it-first. Coming back to the earlier question about Lake County, the same thing is on 53-120. It’s down in the second tier of projects. It’s also on the unconstrained list, not on the constrained list because it simply isn’t right. The EIS hasn’t been done, the public doesn’t know what they’re buying at this point. To your point, the mobility is very important and so our challenge is, how do we most cost effectively provide that level of mobility that you need and we believe the focus on I-80 and I-55, with the limited pennies that we have, is the best approach to provide that mobility.

Member Moran stated I’d make the argument that although fixing I-80 through the corridor, through Joliet and that region is important, it’s not going to increase through putting them (inaudible) a number of trusts.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated so actually the approach that we’re taking a look at does.

Member Moran stated because I’m not sure it’s going to increase it to the capacity that’s necessary. Even if it does, you’re not going to fix the problem that happens at 80/90 and the Indiana, Michigan, Illinois border where trucks back up for a half hour in both directions at the border and can’t get through there. That road has been under construction since I was four years old or less probably. It’s under construction every year and there’s a traffic jam every day, every morning, every night and increasing the (inaudible) through the city of Joliet is not going to fix how freight gets from the west coast to the east coast or even through this region.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated our plan is quite a bit bigger than that. It comes back to the challenges we face with limited pennies. How do we most effectively get the benefits out of those pennies for the public?

Member Ogalla stated hi. Thank you for the information you provided. I just wanted to say that I am happy that CMAP is looking at projects like this now because I think in the past here at the county, we had our state and federal legislative agendas which included all the wishes that we have. I think it makes sense because dollars are limited and instead of taking those dollars and spending it on the study he wants or she wants, we’re taking the ones and the ones that are important to up front, want, needed and most important. That then takes any extra money from the studies and puts it into these projects, gets them done, then you can move on the next set as you prioritize through the region. I think that makes a lot of sense.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated thank you. That’s certainly what we consider the most important part of our job. Everybody has a lot of wants and there’s no denying there’s a lot of need, but somebody has to make those hard decisions on what is it that we focus on and make sure we get the best benefits.

Executive Walsh stated any last questions? Thank you Mr. Joseph Szabo and Mr. Jesse Elam very much for coming down and enlightening us and spending some time.

Mr. Joseph Szabo stated thank you for the invitation and happy to come back.

XII. Land Use & Development Committee - T. Weigel, Chair

Member Weigel stated good morning everyone. I’d like to make a motion to open the public hearing for Land Use cases. I’d like to point out that we have one resolution, 18- 83, which is an appeal of the County Board of Appeals variance for Mr. Tyler Jabaay. We got a request to table that so we will not be approving that today so any speakers that were going to speak to that would not necessarily have to do that. It may be coming back next month.

Open Public Hearing for all Land Use Cases

Result: Approved [24 To 0]

Mover: Tom Weigel, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Away: Singer

Please Be Advised: Absolutely No New Evidence Or Information Will Be Allowed Once This Land Use Public Hearing Is Closed.

Mr. Daniel Bolin stated thank you Executive Walsh, Board and staff. I am the attorney for the Rewers here speaking on resolution 18-83. I understand, very recently learned that this might be taken on next month instead of today but I want to set the table for you for if and when this resolution is considered. This is an appeal of a Planning Zoning Commission decision for a requested variance dramatically reducing the minimum side yard setback from 50 feet to just 2.87 feet along the Rewers property line. The subject property, the Rewers live to the north of it. That is their property line where the variance would be affected. The PZC denied that variance request because it doesn’t meet the standards of the Land Use Committee considered the applicant's appeal concurred with the PZC. We hope you agree and ultimately vote no on the applicant's appeal. The PZC correctly decided that the applicant’s variance request does not meet the standards staff correctly found. (Inaudible) owner is not due to unique circumstances. The applicant purchased the property in 2012, the applicant erected these structures along the north property line. You’ll see on page 72 your Board packets, section 1311A there’s a plot of survey that shows two metal (inaudible) buildings, (inaudible) and five greenhouses along that north property line on the subject property. There are now 22 greenhouses along that north property line showing incredible disregard for the County’s rules. Staff correctly found by having these structures along the north property line, they have the potential to alter the essential character of the area. The applicant’s hardship was self-imposed. It is not caused by any conditions on the property. This will damage the Rewers’ property, the PCZ saw evidence, saw photos, which you can review in the record of the PCZ record of salt being stored in these structures along the Rewers’ property line leaching into the soil causing trees to die off, garbage and equipment being stored within this three feet setback along the property line, encroachments onto the Rewers property line. Such a dramatic encroachment under their property simply isn’t appropriate, plus, the greenhouses aggravate an already difficult storm water management situation on the property and the adjacent property. The applicant is going to claim that the other neighbors are consenting. It’s not true. The Rewers are not consenting and they are most greatly affected by the requested variances. The neighbor consent is one of the standards for a very good reason. Your code provides that these variances run with the land that will last forever and they’re unconditional. They don’t have any conditions to address the negative impact imposed by the proposed variances so approval of these variances would exist long after those neighbors move away. The PCZ got it right, the Land Use Committee got it right, and the applicant's request doesn’t meet the standards. I believe Mr. Ken Rewers is also here to (inaudible) anything that I forgot. Thank you for your time.

Mr. Kenneth Rewers stated I am the property owner to the north of Mr. Tyler Jabaay which is most effectively what he’s done. I’ve been here a number of times already, and I hate to say it, but to have it tabled again. The committee already voted it down, my interpretation. But I’m curious as to the damage that I’ve received from salt barn leaching into my soil and killing my trees on my property. Mr. Tyler Jabaay ended up digging on my property, taking down part of my fences, my horse fences and everything. Like I said, I don’t know what to do anymore. I'm asking the County Board to support me because he had no permits or anything for this stuff. I don’t know what else to say but I’m just kind of frustrated as to what’s going on. I don’t know what the reason for tabling this to go to another month is. Just to say it’s going to be tabled, like Member Moran said, why? I’m curious. Can you answer that? That’s all I’m asking.

Member Weigel stated Member Ogalla is the one that requested the tabling of it. She’s on the committee of it. Maybe she has some remarks in that regard.

Member Ogalla stated I asked to table it so we could look into this situation further. From other things that I spoke with the Land Use Department regarding. The other County Board member of the district also agrees to table it for the month. We’re just going to be tabling it, we will be moving forward to next month, but there’s a couple of things to look into or to consider and that’s why we’re tabling it today.

Mr. Kenneth Rewers stated could you enlighten me to what the other things are?

Member Ogalla stated I’m going to be talking to the Land Use Department about that and when the issue came up at County Board, at our Land Use Committee, we didn’t have all the information available to us and we haven’t had all the conversations with the Land Use Department that I feel is needed so we’re asking to table it today.

Mr. Kenneth Rewers stated okay because like I said, I have pictures of the damage.

Member Ogalla stated I would like to meet with you too. I wasn’t able to get your contact information.

Mr. Kenneth stated okay, just hoping for some resolution. I don’t know where to go. Thank you.

Executive Walsh stated thank you Mr. Kenneth Rewers. Next up is Mr. Tyler Jabaay.

Mr. Tyler Jabaay stated hello. I live to the south of Mr. Rewers. I’ve owned the property for about ten years. When I first bought the land it was just an open farm field and when I started to cut the driveway I was 19 years old. Mr. Rewers came over angrily and asked what I was doing to the property. I told him that I was cutting the driveway and he was less than pleased and stormed away. That was my first encounter with him and not many of them have been positive but I do own a landscape company that I started right out of high school. The company has grown significantly and, due to the amount of bantering and complaints, I have decided to move my landscape company out of Illinois and to Indiana. Last year we paid $247,000 in payroll taxes and $64,000 in additional state payroll taxes, so I have committed to moving my landscape company out of there. I do own a nursery called State Line Nursery that is to remain there, is what I’m hoping to accomplish. As a wholesale only nursery, my property is narrow and deep. It is 307 feet wide and 14.17 deep. So I need about as much land as I can get with the greenhouses that we have. I did get a sign-off. I have 4 neighbors even though.I have two neighbors to the north, Mr. Rewers’ property does not go back as far as mine does. Mine goes back an additional.it’s about 250 feet, so the greenhouses that are in question do not border his land at all. And I do have signed affidavits from three of my four neighbors that have been notarized that I submitted in the original meeting that I’m sure are in my file somewhere, stating that they have no objection to the variances being granted. The salt shed and the other barns that are not permanent at all, they sit on concrete blocks, they’re held down by pieces of rebar and ground anchors, no foundations or anything like that. I’ve committed to moving those along with my landscape business. To address the leaching into the soil.that salt shed has been inspected multiple times by multiple Will County representatives. The salt shed is covered on three sides. It is in the open side is to the south where my building is, and it is paved and there’s interlocking concrete blocks around it that hold it in so we’re not leaching anything into the soil. I’m not trying to be detrimental or anything like that. I’m a landscaper.I’m supposed to make things nice instead of kill them. That ultimately is my goal. I’ve committed to moving those from, those are the buildings that border Mr. Rewers’ property. So I’m committed to moving those as soon as I’m going to be moving here. I do have an accepted offer from the city of East Chicago. I have a meeting again with them today at noon to hammer out some final details, so ultimately that’s where I’m trying to go. The digging he said that I did on his property.I worked with a farmer that owns 55 acres to the south of me, who I originally purchased the land from. There was a broken tile that was right on the border of my property and his property, it’s an 8 inch clay tile, it caved in, I worked with the farmer, we patched it and now all the water is running smooth. I do apologize that we encroached but we did not go over his fence. The fence that he’s referring to is a very old horse fence that I’ve never seen horses in. We did knock over one fence post that is at the southwest corner of his property. I did replace it with a new one and that’s as much damage as I’ve done to his fence. I’m not trying to cause problems. I’m moving my landscape company to try to eliminate problems. I would really just prefer to have my greenhouses and be able to at least keep one of my businesses. I do live in the front and I’m being made out to be a menace of the neighborhood but I’m not doing anything that.I’m trying to have some kids with my wife and I wouldn't change anything about if we’re making noise at night. I wouldn’t change that just because I’m able (inaudible). I’m not trying to cause problems, I’m literally just trying to expand my business, which in turn creates revenue for the local areas and creates jobs. But I have to move 55 landscape jobs out of Will County mainly because of this. That’s not something I want, because I live there and it’s terribly inconvenient for me to commute to East Chicago every day. In short, I hope I’ve addressed everything. If anybody has any questions you're more than welcome to call me over the next few weeks. I’m not trying to hide anything, I’m trying to be as transparent as I can. Thank you for your time.

Executive Walsh stated is there anyone else that can speak on any of these cases?

Close Public Hearing for all Land Use Cases-

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Tom Weigel, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Seconder: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

1. Ordinance Amending the Will County, Illinois Zoning Ordinance Adopted and Approved September 9, 1947 as Amended for Zoning Case ZC-18-005, Douglas Wayne Story, Owner of Record, Larry Wennlund, Attorney, Requesting a (S-18- 002) Special Use Permit for a Firearms Dealer, for PIN #14-12-01-401-006-0000, in Manhattan Township, Commonly Known as 23565 S. Highland Drive, Manhattan, IL

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Tom Weigel, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

PZC: 7-0 Appr SUP for Firearms Dealer w/7 Conditions (#3 & #7 modified)

LUD: 6-0 Appr SUP for Firearms Dealer w/7 Conditions

2. Ordinance Amending the Will County, Illinois Zoning Ordinance Adopted and Approved September 9, 1947 as Amended for Zoning Case ZC-18-019, Richard Moore, Owner of Record, Requesting (M-18-002) Zoning Map Amendment from A-1 to R-3 on Part of PIN #13-19-15-100-037-0000 and (V-18-016) Variance for Maximum Accessory Building Area from 1,500 square feet to 4,064 square feet on PINS #13-19-15-100-023-0000, 13-19-15-100-029-0000 and part of 13-19-15- 100-037-0000, in Wilton Township, Commonly Known as 29525 S. Cedar Road and Vacant Property on S. Cedar Road, Manhattan IL

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Tom Weigel, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Seconder: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

PZC: 7-0 App Map Amendment from A-1 to R-3

PZC: 7-0 Appr Var for Max Access Bldg Area from 1,500 sq ft to 4,064 sq ft

LUD: 6-0 Appr Map Amendment from A-1 to R-3

XIII. Land Use & Development Committee Resolutions

1. 18-83 Appeal of Planning and Zoning Commission Decision for Denial of Variances for Tyler Jabaay, Owner of Record, for Zoning Case #ZC-17-031, PIN #22-23-17-100-031-0000, in Washington Township, Commonly Known as 29822 South State Line Road, Beecher, IL

Member Weigel stated rather than table it I would like to make a motion to send it back to committee.

Result: Remanded [Unanimous] Next: 5/17/2018 9:30 Am

To: Will County Land Use & Development Committee

Mover: Tom Weigel, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Next Land Use & Development Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 8, 2018 @ 10:30 a.m.

XIV. Finance Committee - M. Fricilone, Chair

Member Fricilone stated good morning Will County.

1. Monthly Financial Reports to be Placed on File

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Seconder: Annette Parker, District 9 (R - Crest Hill)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

2. 18-84 Transferring Appropriations between Funds and Budgeting Funds on Hand in the County Clerk's Budget

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Seconder: Gloria Dollinger, District 10 (R - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

3. 18-85 Appropriating Additional Grant Funds in the Health Department Budget for a Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) Challenge

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Seconder: Denise E. Winfrey, District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

4. 18-86 Transferring and Increasing Appropriations in Various County Budgets to Fund Year End Shortfalls

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

5. 18-87 Authorizing County Executive to Execute Necessary Documents for Delinquent Tax Program

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Seconder: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Next Finance Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 1, 2018 @ 10:00 a.m.

XV. Public Works & Transportation Committee - D. Gould, Chair

Member Gould stated good morning Executive Walsh, good morning fellow Board members.

1. Reports to be Placed on File-Public Works

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Debbie Militello, District 6 (R - Channahon)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

2. 18-88 Confirming Award of Contract to P.T. Ferro Construction Co. ($396,049.08), let on March 21, 2018, Hadley Road (CH 1) from Parker Road to Cook County Line, County Board District #7

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

3. 18-89 Improvement by County under the IL Highway Code for Hadley Road (CH 1) from Parker Road to Cook County Line, County Board District #7, using MFT Funds ($425,000.00)

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

4. 18-90 Confirming Award of Contract to Midwest Fence Corporation ($131,160.00) let on March 21, 2018, Countywide Guardrail Maintenance, All County Board Districts

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Jacqueline Traynere, District 4 (D - Bolingbrook)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

5. 18-91 Improvement by County under the IL Highway Code for the Countywide Guardrail, All County Board Districts, using MFT Funds ($175,000.00)

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Ray Tuminello, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

6. 18-92 Confirming Award of Contract to Tri-State Asphalt, LLC ($39,000.00) let on March 21, 2018, Florence Road District, County Board District #6

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Debbie Militello, District 6 (R - Channahon)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

7. 18-93 Authorizing Approval of the Establishment of Altered Speed Zone 553, County Board District #6

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Debbie Militello, District 6 (R - Channahon)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

8. 18-94 Authorizing Transfer of Jurisdiction of Symerton Road (CH 73) to the Village of Symerton by the County under the Illinois Highway Code, County Board District #6

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Seconder: Debbie Militello, District 6 (R - Channahon)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Member Gould stated Executive Walsh I wanted to mention that the Highway Department is having an open house on April 26th from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. for the Weber Road study. It’s going to be at the Romeoville Village Hall for anyone that would like to attend.

Next Public Works & Transportation Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 1, 2018 @ 9:00 a.m.

XVI. Judicial Committee - D. Bennefield, Chair

Member Bennefield stated good morning Executive Walsh, County Board members. We do not have any items to present to the Board this morning.

Next Judicial Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 1, 2018 @ 9:00 a.m.

XVII. Public Health & Safety Committee - J. Ogalla, Chair

Member Ogalla stated good morning Executive Walsh and members of the Board. I have a couple of items to be placed on file today.

1. Reports to be Placed on File-Public Health and Safety

Member Ogalla stated I just wanted to note one thing that is really good to hear. 2017 the Veteran’s Assistance Commission of Will County was able to assist 5,717 vets with their needs. I think that’s really great to hear because all too often we hear about our veterans and they’re not being helped so I’m glad that we have this organization to do that.

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

2. 18-95 Amending the Will County Chapter 97 Public Swimming Facility Ordinance

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee)

Seconder: Gloria Dollinger, District 10 (R - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

3. 18-96 Renewing Contracts for Dietary & Nursing Products for Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee)

Seconder: Denise E. Winfrey, District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

4. 18-97 Renewing Contracts for Housekeeping Supplies for Sunny Hill Nursing Home

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee)

Seconder: Herbert Brooks Jr., District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Member Ogalla stated that concludes the resolutions for today, but I do want to make everyone aware of our upcoming Will County Hero Helps summit that’s going to be held on Friday, May 11th from 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. It will be held at Edward Hospital Athletic and Events Center at 55 Phelps Avenue in Romeoville. This year we have several presentations that I think will be really important for everyone to hear. For me, the most important is from Ms. Laura Porter. She is going to be giving a presentation on the adverse childhood experiences and substance abuse. Those are situations where kids are (inaudible) at a young age and how it impacts them later in life. I think it will be very beneficial for everyone who is able to attend to hear that. If you’re looking for information you can also go to www.herohelpsswc.org and that concludes my report.

Next Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 3, 2018 @ 9:00 a.m.

XVIII. Legislative & Policy Committee - S. Hart, Chair

Member Moustis stated the Chairman is not here and we currently do not have a Vice Chairman. I don’t think there’s anything to report but someone from the Legislative Committee.do you want to bring up any comments today? I don’t think they have any business. There will be a report next month. There was a trip to Washington along with the Executive’s Office and we will be reporting on that next month.

Next Legislative & Policy Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 8, 2018 @ 9:00 a.m.

XIX. Capital Improvements Committee - R. Tuminello, Chair

Member Tuminello stated thank you Executive Walsh. Good morning everybody.

1. 18-98 Authorizing the Will County Executive to Amend Contract with Kluber Architects & Engineers to Include Design Engineering Services for the New Will County Health Department Facility

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Ray Tuminello, District 12 (R - New Lenox)

Seconder: Denise E. Winfrey, District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, StaleyFerry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Member Tuminello stated unfortunately this month the report did not make the packet so I’ll go through the report real quick, and then in future months we’ll get that out there. Just to update the entire Board on the Will County Public Safety Complex. Substantial completion for the specialty equipment storage / radio lab was April 23rd. Demolition of the old sheriff’s facility was completed on April 16th. We are scheduled completion for site work, paving and landscaping for the entire project on June 15th. With regards to the courthouse, 36 of the 39 trade contracts have now been awarded. Bid openings for the remaining three trades will be April 26th of this year. The First Midwest building demolition is 95% complete. Excavation and concrete foundation work is underway. The structural steel erection is scheduled to start on May 21st. We’re going to start seeing the steel coming out of the ground in May. Initial move coordination meeting was held on April 12th and the building security meeting is scheduled as soon as possible so we can report back to the Board on that. With regard to the Health Department, we just authorized the County Executive to (inaudible) a contract with (inaudible) for the design work. The design phase kickoff meeting is today at 1:30 p.m. We have members from the Health Department, (inaudible), myself and Member Moustis. The schedule completion of (inaudible), we’re hoping to get them on the street and get them ready to go by November 2nd of this year, so the project is moving fairly quickly. The new Animal Control facility.we envision a 6,700 square foot building to be located south of the Will County DOT on Cherry Hill Road. Design completion and construction documents are due on July 25th and the new equipment storage building to be used by WCEMA will be included in the scope and that’s all I have.

Next Capital Improvements Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 1, 2018 @ 11:00 a.m.

XX. Executive Committee - J. Moustis, Chair

Member Moustis stated good morning Executive Walsh, County Board.

Motion to Amend Resolution 18-99 Setting Salary for Members of the Will County Board-

Member Traynere stated good morning. I will not be supporting this resolution as written. I’ve been talking with a number of other County Board members, listening to their difficulties of being able to attend all the Board meetings and still hold down their job because employers are not cooperating. I talked with one Board member that lost out on a position, another one that was forced out of a position and I, myself, actually had to make the choice to resign from my job because they were unwilling to accommodate my schedule to be here. This is difficult. You want to serve your community, you want to volunteer, you want to be involved but you also still have to balance that with the needs of your family. It’s been opined that we have a plethora of candidates, that there’s never a lack of candidates, so the salary shouldn’t be an issue. However, in my area, no one ran against me in the primary and to my knowledge no one will be running against me in the general. So clearly there are people that are not looking to run for these positions in certain areas. I do think since it’s been 16 years since we’ve evaluated the salary for this position, that it is time to increase the compensation. Not in the form of a raise but just looking at reevaluating what the position is worth. We have been under a number of extra demands, I would say, extra demands because we are building a courthouse, a public health facility, a sheriff’s facility. We’re doing a lot of infrastructure improvement that takes more time, just to read the documents even if you don’t have time to attend all the meetings. Time spent at home even reviewing what happened at prior meetings by watching videos of those meetings. The public hearings.I listened to this morning’s CMAP presentation and based on the 2050 road plan from CMAP, they’re talking about holding 10 public hearings in our community. I don’t believe, myself, that I can be as effective a County Board member if I am under financial constraints and cannot attend meetings that are held for the benefit not only of the public, but also for the Board members to help make intelligent informed decisions. I am not in favor of the motion as it is written. Thank you.

Member Brooks stated thank you Executive Walsh, good morning ladies and gentleman. For the last 16 years, every two years this discussion comes up. My comments are repetitive. I’ve talked about it in Executive, a discussion should take place, I talked about it in my caucus what discussion should take place and so I know it will be repetitive to some of you all. Of the 16 years there has not been a raise. I have been on this Board for almost 10 years. Every two years I have brought this issue up and I know many people in this room heard that before. I think that where we are right now, 16 years later, still no raise, I could not afford this current resolution 18-99 as is presented and I do believe there ought to be some further discussion since we only have one more (inaudible) two year period expires, but there should be an increase. I can’t support it as it is once again. Thank you.

Member Winfrey stated thank you Executive Walsh. I also will not be supporting this resolution. My issue is that I understand that people serve voluntarily, it is there choice, that’s true. It is also their responsibility to provide the best possible service for the community. That is very hard to do when people are not compensated appropriately. I would not support this amendment because it does not recognize there has been a change over the 16 years. First of all, the salary has not been reset since that 16-year mark. Also the amount of requirements for people in these positions has changed significantly over that time period and will change even more going forward, which is the responsibility of the Board members in the interest of the community and that they do more. I would want to see this salary position be reset.

Member Moustis stated if I may, the salary that’s in place now was frozen in 2009. It hasn’t been 16 years. It’s been quite a while but it’s been 2009.

Member Fricilone stated I’m just curious if the minority leader wants to make a motion to amend the motion.

Member Brooks stated yes. Executive Walsh I would like to amend the motion and adjust the salary for 18-99 County Board members at $28,000 annually.

Member Weigel stated I recently read an article in the Chicago Tribune about why people are leaving Illinois. It’s because of the high taxes. They pointed out Illinois state representatives, their salary is $68,000. In Indiana, state representatives is $25,000. So the taxes are considerably cheaper in Indiana because they’re not paying out these high salaries that Illinois is paying out. I would not be in favor of changing the salary for the Will County Board members which would be higher than what the state representatives in Indiana are earning right now. Thank you.

Member Marcum stated my point is simply that if people are having problems getting time off of work.I know it’s been stated in Executive Committee that people are losing money, I think that this Board should look to moving more of our meetings into the evening so that members don’t have to take off time from their day job. It will also make it easier for members of the community to come to our meetings, to speak to us. I’ve struggled with this this but I’m also against setting a higher wage until we discuss moving meetings to the evening and see if that helps alleviate some of the stress that puts on peoples day jobs.

Member Traynere stated I would also like to remind my fellow County Board members that we did actually take a reduction in the total compensation package for this position when the pension program was eliminated for County Board members. Again, I think this is a salary adjustment, I don’t think of this as a raise. It has been since 2009. I did take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics this week and overall between 2010 and 2017 average wages have risen quite a bit in the state of Illinois. Again, every time we volunteer more time, we’re even losing a higher wage for the time that we’re spending here. I understand the situation in Indiana and that’s for Indiana voters to decide. Their cost of living is different there, their industry is different, their workplaces are different. Perhaps their demands on government officials for time are also different. I don’t know, I don’t live in Indiana and I don’t serve on any elected position in Indiana. I would hesitate to compare us to Indiana. What I did compare us to is what the compensation was for Dupage County and Lake County, the counties around us. We are significantly lower in the salary category.

Member Fricilone stated I just want to make a correction. When Member Traynere stated “we” lost the pension. Not all of us lost. Several of us didn’t take it from day one after being elected, so it wasn’t part of our compensation.

Member Traynere stated I meant the Board as a whole. Just like some of us don’t take the health insurance, it is part of the compensation package even if we don’t take it.

Executive Walsh stated this is on Member Brooks’ amendment.

Result: Defeated [6 To 18]

Mover: Herbert Brooks Jr., District 8 (D - Joliet)

Seconder: Jacqueline Traynere, District 4 (D - Bolingbrook)

Ayes: Moran, Rice, Traynere, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Ferry

Nays: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Kraulidis

Abstain: Harris

Absent: Hart

1. 18-99 Setting Salary for Members of the Will County Board

Result: Approved [23 To 2]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Nays: Traynere, Winfrey

Absent: Hart

Member Moustis stated the next three resolutions set the compensation for county wide offices for County Clerk, Sheriff, Treasurer. All three I will bring individually. Resolutions are at the current compensation. There’s no increases reflected in these resolutions from the prior compensation just so everyone knows.

Motion to Amend Resolution 18-100 Setting Salary of the Will County Clerk-

Member Rice stated I’m making a motion to amend 18-100 raising the salary of the Will County Clerk to $100,000. I understand it’s almost been a decade since there’s been any increase in pay. I also understand that the clerk is continually increasing responsibilities due to change in election law and obligation. We’ve heard from our own fabulous County Clerk about these growing responsibilities on a regular basis. Additionally, and most relevant today, as a county we are obligated to ensure that the person who is leading the county department that ensures integrity of our elections, has the technology skills that ensure secure elections. This involves technology and technology skills cost money. Again, almost a decade since the last increase, increased population served, and required technological skills warrant this position to be adequately compensated. I move to amend the County Clerk’s salary to $100,000.

Member Ogalla stated I’m really glad that Member Rice brought up the issue of integrity. I just want to thank County Clerk Voots for doing such a great job as our County Clerk, having such high integrity and standards.you can’t find anything in her history where she was not having the highest amount of integrity. I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work.

Executive Walsh stated this is on the amendment.

Result: Defeated [8 To 17]

Mover: Beth Rice, District 3 (D - Bolingbrook)

Seconder: Denise E. Winfrey, District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Summers, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Marcum

Nays: Ogalla, Moustis, Singer, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Member Traynere stated I’m sure this is a pretty moot point but I’m going to speak to it anyway. I would also be in support of raising our Sheriff’s salary. I’m not going to make a motion.

Member Moustis stated we need to finish the Clerk’s salary first.

2. 18-100 Setting Salary of the Will County Clerk

Result: Approved [21 To 4]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Nays: Summers, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum

Absent: Hart

Motion to Amend Resolution 18-101 Setting Salary of the Will County Sheriff

Member Moustis stated here again there’s no proposed increase to the salary. I will move for approval.

Member Brooks stated again on the Sheriff, I have some forms, I’ve looked at some numbers, by comparison, all the things that were said earlier. In the world I live in, when everybody already knows the facts, I call it preaching to the choir. I have some interesting facts for the sheriff of counties all around us that are increasingly more, receive more (inaudible). To make a long story short my recommendation is this. The Sheriff’s salary be set at $125,000 a year.

Member Winfrey stated thank you Executive Walsh. I just want to comment on the Sheriff’s salary. I understand our resistance to raising salaries, to adjusting salaries, however you want to phrase that. I am aware also that for Will County, out of the 102 counties in the state of Illinois, Will County has more unincorporated population than any other of the 102 counties including Cook County which means that our Sheriff’s department polices more people than any other County out of the 102 and I think that warrants the increase. That means that this department has more work, more responsibility, than any of the 102 counties in the state and that to me requires the $125,000.

Result: Defeated [10 To 15]

Mover: Herbert Brooks Jr., District 8 (D - Joliet)

Seconder: Jacqueline Traynere, District 4 (D - Bolingbrook)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Marcum, Ferry

Nays: Moustis, Singer, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

3. 18-101 Setting Salary of the Will County Sheriff

Result: Approved [20 To 5]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Kraulidis

Nays: Summers, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Ferry

Absent: Hart

4. 18-102 Setting Salary of the Will County Treasurer

Result: Approved [23 To 2]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Nays: Traynere, Marcum

Absent: Hart

5. 18-103 Authorizing the County Executive to Execute an Agreement with Constellation Energy to Provide Electricity to County Government Facilities - Attachment Added

Member Fricilone stated I would just like to comment on this. I am going to vote yes on this. I know we have to take baby steps sometimes. I would like to challenge us and have a goal next year that we move to 100% green, this will take us to 50%. I think Will County has been a leader in many things. We’re a leader in many things. We’re a leader in the fight against opioids, we’re a leader in the building projects we’re doing, freight studies that we’re doing. I think we need to be a leader in our green initiatives. We just had a report, which I think we’re going to do a Committee of the Whole at a future date. All the green things that we’ve done here, all the money we’ve saved because of it, but once we get to 100% green, it allows us to become EPA green power partner. Who are green power partners? The likes of Apple and Google and other companies like that. We want to continue to attract the companies that we say we want, technology companies, not just logistic companies. We need to get more and more branding and designations; that we’re a leader in those kind of initiatives and especially with green. So while I will be voting for this 50%, I think we should put it on the docket for next year that we take a look and see if we can move to 100% next year so we can brand ourselves as probably the first community in this area, maybe the state, Ms. Samantha Bluemer is going to check on that to be 100% green on our energy spent.

Member Moustis stated just to give you a little explanation, in the resolution, in our agreement, 50% of our power that we’d be purchasing, comes from renewable energies. There could be other clean energies that are mixed that are above that 50%, guarantee that 50% of our power source comes from renewable energy.

Member Bennefield stated I will be voting no on this particular resolution. I just want to let you know why. I'm concerned about taking the step, from roughly 12% to 50%. I think that’s a large (inaudible). I understand that you want to continue to move forward with green energy. I’m in total support of that. I feel that based under the three year term that we are executing, if we jump from 12 to roughly 25 we have the opportunity and the options to increase that annually as we choose. At the end of three years if we felt that it was beneficial to the tax payers here of Will County, I would be willing to (inaudible), but to take the step from 12 to 50, in my opinion is a large step. Thank you.

Member Gould stated I am not in support of 100%. We had this discussion at committee. My reason was because Will County is a major producer of nuclear power, specifically at Braidwood units one and two. They employ a lot of Will County residents. Illinois is the largest producer of nuclear power in the country. A lot of our residents also work at Dresden in Grundy County. We took a look at our taxes and I want to point out that with the combined tax bills, all the taxing bodies Exelon Generation paid $25,770,120.00 of which the county’s portion from Exelon was $2,723,844.00. That’s quite an investment in Will County. I think it’s time that we need to look at that. They employ a lot of contractors and tradesmen every time they have an outage. Ladies and gentleman, we need to take care of our own. This company’s made a substantial investment in Will County. We should continue to be a purchaser of nuclear power. Thank you.

Member Traynere stated I was just going to say that I agree with Member Fricilone. I think we should be moving toward this 100% and I like the idea of putting it on our agenda for next year to look to increase the amount. I think that we need to protect our planet and renewable energy is the best way to go for that and this is going to save our county money as well, so it’s a win-win. Thank you.

Member Fricilone stated I just want to make one more comment. I do support what Member Gould says. We want to take care of our own. Just so everybody knows, the contract that we’re signing with the constellation company, is owned by Exelon.

Result: Approved [17 To 8]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Summers, Moustis, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Fritz, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Weigel, Ferry

Nays: Ogalla, Singer, Bennefield, Gould, Militello, Balich, Tuminello, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

6. 18-114 Authorizing the County Executive to Execute an Agreement with Vanguard to Provide Natural Gas to County Government Facilities – Attachment Added

Result: Approved [23 To 0]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Away: Harris, Staley-Ferry

7. 18-104 Authorizing Renewal of "Wrap Around" Professional Liability Insurance for the Will County Community Health Center

Result: Approved [23 To 0]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Away: Harris, Staley-Ferry

8. 18-105 Authorizing the County Executive to Execute an Intergovernmental Agreement between the County of Champaign and the County of Will, Illinois for Electronics Recycling

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

9. 18-106 Authorizing the County Executive to Execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Village of Lemont To Provide Access To The Countywide Radio System

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

10. 18-107 Supplemental Resolution for the Payment of the County Engineer's Salary, MFT Salary Section 17-00000-00-CS

Member Moustis stated this has nothing to do with our current engineer. This has to do with the former engineer and His Pension.

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

11. 18-108 Authorizing the County Executive to Execute Amendment No. 1 to the Section 5310 Technical Services Agreement between the Regional Transportation Authority and Will County for Contract No. :S5310-2015-06

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

12. 18-109 Establishing the Finances for the New Animal Control Facility – Temporary Loan - Resolution Added

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

13. 18-110 Designating Capital Improvements Committee as Owner's Agent for Animal Control Facility Project - Resolution Added

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Herbert Brooks Jr., District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

14. 18-111 Replacement Hires for the LCC-911 Department

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

15. 18-112 Replacement Hire for the Land Use Department

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Herbert Brooks Jr., District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

16. 18-113 Replacement Hire For Sunny Hill Nursing Home - Dietitian

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Denise E. Winfrey, District 8 (D - Joliet)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Next Executive Committee Meeting is Scheduled for May 3, 2018 @ 10:00 a.m.

XXI. Appointments By The County Executive

Motion to Remove Table: Appointment to METRA Board

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

1. Appointment to the Metra Board - Tabled at March 15, 2018 County Board

Result: Failed [10 To 13]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Summers, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Gould, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Staley-Ferry, Marcum, Ferry

Nays: Ogalla, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Bennefield, Fritz, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Kraulidis

Abstain: Parker, Dollinger

Absent: Hart

Member Moustis stated next I have the appointments to the Investment Board. I'm going to make a motion to remove it. It has nothing to do with.the people that are going to come forward are going to bring them all at the request of the Workforce and the Executive's office. They're going to bring all the names forward at at the same time. Is that pretty much what it is Mr. Nick Palmer?

Motion to Remove Table: Appointment to Workforce Investment Board

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

2. Appointment to Workforce Investment Board - Tabled at March 15, 2018 County Board

Member Moustis stated now I'll make a motion to remove the appointment. It will be brought back with recommendation for a number of other Workforce.

Executive Walsh stated are you moving to send it back to committee?

Member Moustis stated I would just remove it. It goes back to your office. My understanding is you'll be bringing back a number of appointments from Workforce.

Result: Withdrawn [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staleyferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

3. 2018 April Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Result: Approved [24 To 0]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Singer, Moran, Rice, Harris, Traynere, Bennefield, Fritz, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Weigel, Ferry, Kraulidis

Abstain: Gould

Absent: Hart

XXII. Public Comment

Dr. Nakia Hall stated good morning. I am a resident of Will County, eastern Will County. I am an elected school board member. I serve on the Crete-Monee School District Board. I have been on the Board for over nine years and I am (inaudible) board member as well as the youngest. I come before you today because as a community member, one who is involved in the school system, and also I have a nonprofit where we do a lot of community outreach. I am concerned at the lack of social services in eastern Will County. We have families who are in desperate need of services and we have families who have issues and barriers to coming all the way out this way to receive those services. I, myself, have travelled this way to attend some wonderful summits, workshops. I was most recently out this way on a suicide workshop that was conducted at the Workforce Center. However, there are a lot of people on the eastern side of Will County that cannot make that drive and come out this way. I’m here to make a plea to the Board. I’m not sure if the efforts have been made to bring services out that way. I just wanted to share with you some of the things that I am aware of, that our families are dealing with. I’m not sure if you guys are aware of.we’ve had three recent suicides in our school district within the last year and a half. That has caused a concern in our area with our families in regards to our students and the issues that they are facing. We also have families that are in need of jobs. I heard you all talk about earlier also about April being fair housing month. We have families that are in need of housing, we have veterans that are in need of services. Someone mentioned earlier (inaudible) adverse childhood experiences. Our students are dealing with traumatic experiences. I’ve been pushing on my board for us to be more aware of those experiences with our students. Students are acting out of those traumatic experiences and we are seeing an increase in expulsions, suspensions, alternative school placement. That’s an issue that we’re dealing with in Crete-Monee School District. That’s an issue that I’m working tirelessly to help our district understand why our children are behaving and reacting the way they are reacting; however, our families need support. They need support in dealing with mental health issues with our students. Also, just to let you guys know, Crete-Monee School District, we’re about 70% low income population. I don’t need to tell you really what that.how that affects our families. I’m sure you can imagine that, so I just wanted to let you know that we are dealing with families that can’t afford many services. They cannot afford to travel and if we have more satellite offices and if we brought more of our programs that way, I think it would greatly benefit that population. Sometimes we feel a little left out. So I just wanted to take the time as an elected official, as well as one who is involved in the community, to come to make a plea to you all to greatly consider bringing some of these things out that way.

Executive Walsh stated thank you. I recommend that you make arrangements.we have a Public Health and Safety Committee, Member Ogalla is chairperson and you’re welcome to come before the committee any time and bring your issues and see what we can do. Start from the bottom and work up.

Dr. Nakia Hall stated I do want to say, too, I’m not just here to talk about the problems. (inaudible) knows me and I’m all about helping and bringing solutions. I’m involved, I’m (inaudible) education committee. I am the division chair for the Illinois Association of School Three Rivers Division, which encompasses most of Will County School Board. I am willing to lend whatever assistance I can as well and I will be connecting with Member Ogalla.

Executive Walsh stated maybe you two can hook up after the meeting and we’ll get the ball rolling and see what we can do together. Thank you for coming in. Anyone else from the public wish to speak?

XXIII. Comments By County Board Members

Member Kraulidis stated recently in Judicial Committee we had a discussion relating to school safety in our community. Member Bennefield held a special meeting in our committee discussing ways to be proactive and addressing violence in our schools. Lots of good conversation took place. How can we work together, that being the County, the School Boards, state and local government, to support our schools in seeking solutions? How do we continue to dialog with one another as leaders in our community? I’ve discussed this with local representative Mark Batinick and local superintendent of the township of Plainfield. I’ve put on each of your desks information from State Representative Mark Batinick who is holding a meeting on May 1. He is hosting a presentation on Rachel’s Challenge. Ms. Rachel Scott was the first victim in the Columbine massacre. Her father will be coming in to discuss how Rachel’s Challenge organization can be one way to help us and address our objectives. Please consider attending if you can. One thing we found out in our meeting, we really do need cross- governmental communication. One thing that we found out is oftentimes we don’t know the jurisdiction of what we can do, how we can do it, and where we can do it. One of the objectives of this is to get us basically cross pollinate with each other to take a look at these needs. Reach out also to your school superintendents and administrators, etc. as your guests, we have Plainfield 202 representatives attending, Oswego 308 officials attending, obviously, Mr. Mark Batinick and anyone here that would be willing too. This will address anything from internal bullying to external threats. School safety must be addressed by those in leadership. I hope that I will see you there.

Member Summers stated thank you Executive Walsh. I want to first thank Dr. Nakia Hall for coming out here and speaking. It’s an issue that I have been working with her on as well as we seem to have an (inaudible) especially with mental illness and issues on the other side of the county. I wanted her to know that our (inaudible) Ms. Susan Olenek will be happy to speak with her as well as Ms. Susan Olenek has reached out to me to see what we can do on the eastern side of the county. Again, I want to thank her because she does work with those kids. Every single day she has totally dedicated her life to that and I give her total support.

Member Rice stated mine is more of a request than a comment. I am hoping that I can request to add as an agenda item for discussion purposes, the scheduling of county meetings. I’m not necessarily advocating for something but I think it’s time that County Board members have a discussion. Staff members and other people have the opportunity to weigh in on it and we just talk about our current scheduling and see if what we’re doing now meets the needs of the county best. So I’d like to make that official request going forward.

Member Moustis stated Member Rice we will look at that after the November election when the Board reorganizes. They do set committee meeting times. That would be probably be the more (inaudible) time to discuss it and we will bring it up.

Member Rice stated I think from in the past being a County Board member that came on after elections, there’s a scramble to assign people to committees and I don’t think that’s a real good time to discuss the timing of committees. I’m looking for a time at the appropriate committee where we just talk about it. I’m not advocating for it, but I am suggesting that we take some time to look at it. I’m making this request because I’m making it official here on the Board floor because I have tried in the past to have this discussion with no movement on it. So I don’t trust that in November that it will happen.

Member Moustis stated I guess what I’m trying to get across is that we wouldn’t change this.

Member Rice stated yes, that’s why I wanted to emphasize for discussion purposes only with no intent to change and I’m not advocating for a change. I want to talk about it and I want staff members to be able to weigh in as well.

Member Tuminello stated I’m just going to add something to it. If we’re going to have a discussion, I would also like to know the financial impact of potentially moving the meetings. We did this in the Village of New Lenox when I was a board member there. I was quite surprised at the amount of comp time that our staff and our department heads acquired by coming in at night and in the evening. There was a pretty large financial impact so I would at least like to.if we’re going to have that discussion I would like to know all the pieces of the puzzle. Lastly, I just want to give a shout out to Ms. Susan Olenek and her entire team at the Health Department. A lot of people look at the health clinic and the Health Department and they think that some people have a stigma, the types of individuals that it serves. But just recently, I had a very white collar family of five, a very well-to-do family, one had a medical situation and a medical history. There was an issue when he transferred jobs with COBRA insurance and was left as a severe diabetic without insulin, without the necessary items he needed for simple survival. He called me in a panic and asked I know you’re my County Board representative, is there anything I can do. I said, well I would like you to contact our Health Department. He got in touch with our Health Department and they were phenomenal. They helped this individual through his last period with the insurance. I just wanted to make mention of that because I want everyone to understand that as County Board members, if there is anyone in your district that has a situation, that the Health Department is available for us, the health clinic. I learned quite a bit watching this individual and his family go through the process and I was quite impressed with the professionalism and guidance they gave his family and quite frankly, the help that they were able to give him. So I just wanted to say thank you.

Member Ogalla stated I just want to reiterate what Member Tuminello said. I just know that the Health Department serves residents of Will County from every aspect of life, every corner of the County and they do a great job at assisting it and also keeping it confidential so that somebody’s neighbor is not aware of any of the issues they tackle in the Health Department. They do a great job and I’m very happy to serve as the chair for Public Health & Safety. What I want to comment on my own, I wanted to explain why I voted no for the Metra Board. As a Board, we need to widen the area for what we typically look to appoint a Board member. I find all too often we select someone from Joliet, New Lenox, Bolingbrook areas, and I believe we have qualified residents from other areas of the County that are often overlooked. I think that’s something we need to consider, we need to look at.every one of us has someone we might consider putting forward. It just seems those are the areas I always find we’re approving to appoint Board members. They’re always from specific areas. I’d like us to, hopefully as a whole, come up with more candidates to serve, and different candidates, because I also find the same person serves on board after board for whatever reason that is. I think the more opportunity we give to our residents, the better we are, the broader group of people we have to choose from and more time to serve if they’re on only one Board versus four or five Boards. Thank you.

XXIV. Announcements By The Majority Leader, Minority Leader And County Board Speaker

Announcements by the County Board Majority Leader, Chuck Maher-

Member Maher stated good afternoon. We have had a very long morning starting with CMAP coming in and giving us a presentation on a lot of the stuff we knew is important to our region with the roads. I appreciate all the work that we’ve done here. A lot of conversation has been on our education of mental health, so just to let folks know, we do have April awareness month. We do have, besides the ones that we recognized earlier, Will County recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month. Interestingly enough, it’s also National Landscape Architecture Month. Just thought you might want to know that as we go forward with taking the young man back into our committee for discussion, as well as community service month. From a community service standpoint, I don’t know enough to get into an argument that most of us believe that what we do here on the County Board is a community service. It’s not a primary job for any one of us. It’s nice that we do all get a little bit of additional dollars as we do our job here on a regular basis and it’s nice to know when you first come in to it. So I’m glad we were able to get that discussion done today with the setting of the salaries and just to let folks know that this really is a community service. April is also Safety in Schools Month. We’ve had a lot of discussion here at the very end about schools and what we need to do to in order to make sure our kids are safe. Being someone that’s been involved in education for over 30 years, safety in schools has to be a primary discussion. Recognizing that idea of mental health issues in our schools is absolutely imperative because, as we all know, people kill people, people get bullied, people go in and make the challenges that we have in our schools not safe, it’s not anything else. Sometimes they just need to be listened to. They need the support, they need to have someone that they can go talk to when there are issues and they need treatment. So being able to give mental health services to our students is extremely important. With that, you will know that we will recognize May as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month. So as we come forward (inaudible) May is to recognize that. Hopefully Member Ogalla is going to have some conversations with counterparts and the young lady that came up and talked and see what we can do out there in eastern Will County.

Announcements by the County Board Minority Leader, Herbert Brooks, Jr.-

Member Brooks stated good afternoon Executive Walsh and ladies and gentleman. I will begin by telling you what I tell my church every Sunday morning, that is, my sermon will be short. Let me first thank Ms. Erika Phillips from our County Board office. I had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; she was very helpful. Thank you again to the Legislative body for allowing me to go and I’ll have more to say about the discussion about the content of that trip in the Legislative Committee next month. I want to thank all of the County Board members for their discussion on the pay raises. For the last 10 years I have raised this issue and I have made amendment but in the past I never got a second so I feel victorious. Lastly, I want to send my blessing to our Chief of Staff of the County Board. She’ll be leaving next week for a destination wedding. I want to congratulate Ms. Ragan Freitag and I wish her all the best on her new life. That’s all I have. God bless you all.

Statements by the County Board Speaker, James Moustis-

Member Moustis stated thank you everyone for all your work. We do have a need for an Executive Session for the purpose of labor negotiations. I will make the motion to go into Executive Session.

XXV. Executive Session

Motion to go in to Executive Session

Result: Approved [Unanimous]

Mover: Jim Moustis, Speaker, District 2 (R - Frankfort)

Seconder: Charles E. Maher, District 11 (R - Naperville)

Ayes: Ogalla, Summers, Moustis, Moran, Rice, Harris, Bennefield, Fritz, Gould, Militello, Balich, Fricilone, Brooks Jr., Winfrey, Parker, Staley-Ferry, Dollinger, Marcum, Maher, Tuminello, Ferry, Kraulidis

Absent: Hart

Left Meeting: Singer, Traynere, Weigel

XXVI. Recess To May 17, 2018

https://willcountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=15&ID=2958&Inline=True

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