Will County Forest Preserve District Operations Committee Met March 3.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
A. CALL TO ORDER
Meeting was called to order by Chair Winfrey at 8:30 AM.
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner Mueller led the Pledge of Allegiance
C. ROLL CALL
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Judy Ogalla | District 1 (R - Monee) | Remote | |
| Donald Gould | District 6 (R - Shorewood) | Remote | |
| Steve Balich | District 7 (R - Homer Glen) | Remote | |
| Mike Fricilone | District 7 (R - Homer Glen) | Remote | |
| Jim Moustis | District 2 (R - Frankfort) | Remote | |
| Jacqueline Traynere | District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) | Remote | |
| Denise E. Winfrey | Chair | Present | |
| Tyler Marcum | Treasurer | Remote | |
| Amanda Koch | District 2 (D - Frankfort) | Absent | |
| Meta Mueller | District 5 (D - Aurora) | Remote | |
| Joe VanDuyne | President | Present | |
| Rachel Ventura | Vice President | Remote | |
| Mimi Cowan | Speaker, District 11 (D - Naperville) | Late | |
| Sherry Newquist | Vice Chair | Remote | |
| Mica Freeman | Secretary | Remote | |
| Debbie Kraulidis | District 13 (R - Joliet) | Remote | |
| Ralph Schultz | Chief Operating Officer | Present | |
| George Mahoney | Attorney | Present | |
| Hannah Lamore | Attorney | Present | |
| Lisa Lukasevich | Director of Finance | Present | |
| Tracy Chapman | Chief of Police | Present | |
| John Fay | Director of Operations | Present |
1. Minutes February 3, 2021
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood) SECONDER: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) SECONDER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
F. NEW BUSINESS
1. Award of Contract to Purchase Two (2) 2021 Ford Utility Police Interceptor AWD Hybrids in the Amount of $76,468.00 from Currie Motors of Frankfort, llinois, using the South Suburban Purchasing Cooperative Contract #152.
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) SECONDER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee) SECONDER: Mica Freeman, Secretary AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) SECONDER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) SECONDER: Jim Moustis, District 2 (R - Frankfort) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Mica Freeman, Secretary SECONDER: Debbie Kraulidis, District 13 (R - Joliet) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
No closed session occurred on March 3, 2021.
H. REPORTS
1. DuPage River Trail - Weber Road Trail Improvements
Chief Operating Officer Schultz introduced the Committee members to the potential extension of the DuPage River Trail along Weber Road connecting trails along the north and south side of the river as will as local neighborhoods and businesses.
Schultz explained that it is complicated project because the Forest Preserve does not own any property in this location and construction, operation, and maintenance agreements would be necessary to compete the project. Cooperation between the Forest Preserve, City of Naperville, Village of Bolingbrook, Naperville Park District, and Bolingbrook Park District.
In addition, Schultz stated due to the nature of the river crossing and the lay of the land a number of regulatory agencies would also be involved. Forest Preserve staff recommended pursing the project. Commissioners comments were supportive of continuing to pursue the project at this time.
2. White-Tailed Deer Management Program Discussion
Chief Operating Officer Schultz discussed with the history of the White-Tailed Deer Management Program. In 2010 the Forest Preserve established the White-Tailed Deer Management Program to maintain a deer population that allowed a sustainable relationship between biological diversity and habitat structure. The herds had grown to a size that were having a devastating effect on a number of the highest quality forest preserves. The Forest Preserve has been doing browse surveys for 20 years and aerial deer census for at least 28 years. The Forest Preserve set a goal of 20-30 deer per square mile which is supported by the science community. Permits for the removal of deer are issued by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and carried out by Forest Preserve Police Department. The 2021 program was concluded last month.
Chief of Police, Tracy Chapman spoke about the 2020-2021 Deer Management Season which took place at (6) six different Preserve locations. Chapman discussed that the program consists of; culling, field dressing, (if necessary), processing, and transporting deer to Earlville, Illinois. Chapman explained the deer are held at Freedom Sausage until they are cleared for CWD (chronic wasting disease ), then the meat is donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Schultz reminded the Committee members this information is also located on the Forest Preserve District website.
3. Next Meeting Date - Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 8:30 AM at the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, Illinois
I. COMMENTS BY PUBLIC
No comments were received.
J. COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS
K. ADJOURNMENT
1. Meeting was adjourned at 9:13 AM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mike Fricilone, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) SECONDER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Fricilone, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Marcum, Mueller, VanDuyne, Ventura, Cowan, Newquist, Freeman, Kraulidis ABSENT: Koch |
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