Will County Forest Preserve District Operations Committee met June 1.
Here are 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
President VanDuyne led the Pledge of Allegiance
C. ROLL CALL
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Judy Ogalla | District 1 (R - Monee) | Present | |
| Donald Gould | District 6 (R - Shorewood) | Present | |
| Steve Balich | District 7 (R - Homer Glen) | Present | |
| Mike Fricilone | District 7 (R - Homer Glen) | Absent | |
| Jim Moustis | District 2 (R - Frankfort) | Present | |
| Jacqueline Traynere | District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) | Present | |
| Denise E. Winfrey | Chair | Present | |
| Tyler Marcum | Treasurer | Present | |
| Meta Mueller | District 5 (D - Aurora) | Present | |
| Joe VanDuyne | President | Present | |
| Rachel Ventura | Vice President | Present | |
| Mimi Cowan | Speaker, District 11 (D - Naperville) | Present | |
| Sherry Newquist | Vice Chair | Present |
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Mica Freeman | Secretary | Present | |
| Debbie Kraulidis | District 13 (R - Joliet) | Absent | |
| Saud Gazanfer | District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) | Absent | |
| Ralph Schultz | Executive Director | Present | |
| George Mahoney | Attorney | Present | |
| Tracy Chapman | Deputy Director | Present | |
| Denise Steffen | Director of Information Technology | Present | |
| Andrew Hawkins | Director of Conservation | Present |
1. Minutes of May 4, 2022
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
MOVER: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood) SECONDER: Jim Moustis, District 2 (R - Frankfort) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
F. NEW BUSINESS
1. Award of Contract in the Amount of $105,000.00 to Thornton Equipment Services, Inc., of Mokena, Illinois, for Habitat Enhancement at Kankakee Sand Preserve
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Jacqueline Traynere, District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) SECONDER: Donald Gould, District 6 (R - Shorewood) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Judy Ogalla, District 1 (R - Monee) SECONDER: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) SECONDER: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Jim Moustis, District 2 (R - Frankfort) SECONDER: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) SECONDER: Jacqueline Traynere, District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Jim Moustis, District 2 (R - Frankfort) SECONDER: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [9 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Jacqueline Traynere, District 4 (D - Bolingbrook) SECONDER: Steve Balich, District 7 (R - Homer Glen) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis, Gazanfer NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
Executive Director Schultz gave some insight to the proposal. For example, wetland mitigation banks are places where natural resources are restored, and the resulting credits are sold on open markets to developers who impact wetlands in other areas. Wetland mitigation banks are the most well-established form of conservation banking, although carbon credits are an emerging market and threatened and endangered species habitat mitigation is an opportunity market. The success of these marketplaces hinges on having a framework in place where natural resource restoration and impact activities can be quantified, and the resulting credits monetized.
The Forest Preserve has many properties that are being held in agricultural production until funding is available to restore them to natural communities. Partnering with a mitigation banking company is a potential avenue to provide funding to restore these areas and provide a funding source for their long-term management. Long-term management is key to maintaining the quality of the restored habitats and funding it with outside money is desirable to minimize the burden on our annual operating budget.
This Request for Conservation Bank Proposals process will seek the following information from potential mitigation bank partners:
· Proposed conservation bank program
· Short list of potential Forest Preserve sites
· Professional and financial qualifications
· Previous experience with conservation banks of a similar size and scope
· Proposed partnership structure
· General implementation plan, timeline
· Market analysis for the conservation bank
Based on the conservation bank proposals received, the Forest Preserve anticipates moving ahead one or two conservation bank partners.
| RESULT: APPROVED [10 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) SECONDER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist, Gazanfer ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
| RESULT: APPROVED [10 TO 0]
TO: Forest Preserve District Board of Commissioners MOVER: Jim Moustis, District 2 (R - Frankfort) SECONDER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist, Gazanfer ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
No closed session occurred on June 1, 2022
H. REPORTS
1. Next Meeting Date - Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 8:30 AM at the Sugar Creek Administration Center, 17540 W. Laraway Road, Joliet, Illinois
I. COMMENTS BY PUBLIC
No comments were received.
J. COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS
President VanDuyne asked Executive Director Schultz to give a brief overview of the status of Hidden Oaks Nature Center and Hidden Lakes Trout Farm. Schultz began with Hidden Oaks Nature Center. Staff is planning a soft opening on Wednesday, July 6th and an evening event on July 8th from 4pm-7pm. As for Hidden Lakes which is an artificial system consisting of four (4) lakes inter-connected via culverts. There are a number of issues, because they are artificial they are filled with ground water so there is a well on site that pumps water up that keep the water elevations in order to support the fish. We have experienced vandalism at the electrical panels for the well and on two occasions they have damaged the electrical panel, eliminating power to the well. This last event they destroyed the panel which to be replaced at a cost of $18,000. The panel is on order. The artificial system also consists of aerators in each pond have been damaged in the past as well. Schultz noted the bait shop is delayed due to a back log in production.
K. ADJOURNMENT
1. Meeting was adjourned at 9:07 AM
| RESULT: APPROVED [10 TO 0]
MOVER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair SECONDER: Meta Mueller, District 5 (D - Aurora) AYES: Ogalla, Gould, Balich, Moustis, Traynere, Winfrey, Mueller, Cowan, Newquist, Gazanfer ABSENT: Fricilone, Kraulidis NOT VOTING: Marcum, VanDuyne, Ventura, Freeman |
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